Letters to the Editor

 

Response to ‘A sub-culture forged in the foundry of Pedestrian Day’

 

I think this is a noble initiative of this present government. Actually it has a lot of positive benefits though i am not denying the inconveniences it has caused too. I think we Bhutanese will get used to it after a few years though there is a lot of hue and cry, which was further escalated by the exaggeration of the media.

In fact, i am really enjoying pedestrian day, otherwise, i am very used to travelling by a private car. Though, i liked to walk to my office before the introduction of such rules, i felt uneasy and uncomfortable when i saw my friends going by private cars. I went walking once or twice, but my colleagues joked saying that i am a peculiar guy and miser saving fuel or am afraid of my wife, who drives the car etc.

Now i am comfortable and every Tuesday is a very exciting day for me, as i have to wake up early otherwise, my kids will be late and even me too. It refreshes my mind, saves my fuel cost and makes me healthy.

It also reminds me of the difficulty faced by our forefathers and how the far flung rural people still have a tough time, walking for days. But in our case, it’s just a matter of walking a few kilometers and we don’t need to go through jungles, dense forest etc.

So i am really enjoying the pedestrian day. May it continue forever.

Wangyal

 

 

Response to ‘Dr David’s critique of Bhutan’s GNH story- Part 2’

 

What all Dr. David means to say is build infrastructure, develop your economy, give employment, fight corruption, respect human rights, work hard, clean your towns and cities, avoid gang fights.

After all, David knows that America is deducting tax from his salary & professional fees and giving it to Bhutan. But when he came to Bhutan, he found that Bhutanese are simply not hard working, they are hypocrites. And of course, we cannot deny this fact.

Bhutanese are always accustomed to being praised by foreigners irrespective of what they are. Even at the slightest criticism, Bhutanese are provoked, and behave like extremists. But sometimes, we must also learn to take constructive criticism for our own good.

There is some reason why many donor countries are pulling out of our country. It’s not that their fund is exhausted, or that they are not in a position to fund us. But, some donor countries have found that Bhutan is not funding itself through taxes. And this smartness has deprived Bhutanese of their daily needs to human rights.

GNH, though without much enlightenment, has become a cult only among people who have enough means and have found reason to live. But, it means nothing to citizens who roam on the streets, alleys and are pushed from pillar to post for want of job. Nobody can be a patriot on a hungry stomach.

We painted westerners as mean spirited and materialistic and that too in the GNH book. But, we have to be thankful to these westerners in one thing; many countries like ours are surviving on the means and materials supplied by these mean spirited and materialistic people. In whatsoever language, we may portray them; we can never be as helpful as they have been too many poor countries. We are here chanting GNH, criticizing others as materialistic, yet we look to them expectantly as if it’s their obligation to feed us.

Lakpa