The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The social media, these days, is often taken as a good barometer of public opinion. In the past few days, the same social media which until recently was used by civil servants and corporate employees to complain, underwent a magical transformation.
Social media outlets, especially on Facebook, saw civil servants and their corporate counterparts uploading beaming photos of themselves and their colleagues after receiving Royal Civil Service Award medals and certificates signed by His Majesty the King.
Words such as “motivated”, “proud”, “inspired”, and “happy” flowed freely as numerous family members and friends also joined to wish the various recipients of the medals, cutting across class, gender, regions and organizations.
It was clear from the online traffic that the recipients where inspired and motivated, especially since the medal came with a certificate hand signed by His Majesty the King. His Majesty the King had earlier mentioned about instituting awards for public servants in His Majesty’s 105th National Day address to the nation on 17th December 2012.
The Prime Minister Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay said, “The government is extremely grateful to His Majesty the King for awarding well-deserved recognition to our civil servants and corporate employees for their dedicated service to the Tsa-Wa-Sum. This noble gesture would go a long way in inspiring our civil servants to always put the interest of the nation ahead of their own.”
The Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) will eventually distribute around 13,000 plus medals and certificates to various government organizations including government corporations. There are around 24,000 civil servants and under 10,000 government corporate employees.
There were three categories of medals, which are bronze for 10 years or more of service, silver for 20 years or more, and finally a gold medal for 30 years and above years of service. The medal is accompanied by a gold colored embossed certificate signed in both English and Dzongkha by His Majesty the King.
The certificate is titled “The Royal Civil Service Award” and has a seal of His Majesty the King and an embossed image of His Majesty the King.
The message on the card reads that it is recognition of the faithful service of civil servant or corporate employee to the Tsa-Wa-Sum for the certain number of years. The award is likely to be an annual event honoring and recognizing the service of government employees.
The medals are being awarded on various days from the end of the week to Monday, in separate ceremonies by government and corporate organizations, before the National Day. The ceremonies have all been done elaborately with a portrait of His Majesty the King and fruit offerings with even Marchangs where the medals and certificates were distributed to jubilant and emotional civil servants and corporate employees.
According to reliable sources, the main reason for giving out the medal is to motivate and inspire the civil servants and corporate employees, at a time when it is urgently needed.
The timing of the awards, coinciding just before the National Day, would also allow the recipients to wear the medals and take part in the National Day celebrations at Changlimethang, Thimphu, and the 20 districts across the country.
The Auditor General Dasho Ugen Chewang, a recipient of the Gold Medal for more than 30 years of service, was touched by the gesture.
He said, “It is a great honour, and call upon all of us to work harder and excel, and it also motivates me to work harder.” He said that everybody in the Royal Audit Authority felt very excited and motivated to even work harder.
The Gross National Happiness Commission, Secretary Karma Tshiteem who received a silver medal for more than 20 years of service said, “We welcome this Royal initiative, and I think it would be very motivating for the Civil Service to be recognized for serving the Tsa-Wa-Sum. It will boost the morale of the Civil Service which is needed as they play an important part in the country’s development, now and in the future.”
The Secretary also said that award would recognize the service of the unsung heroes who served the government.
Karma Tshiteem said that apart from motivating civil servants the award would also go a long way in promoting dignity of labour as the medals were being given irrespective of hierarchy in the civil service.
He said, “A telephone operator Sangay who has served the planning commission right from the old days will be getting the gold medal. He does not know it yet, but I am sure he will be ecstatic when he gets it and we are also very happy for him.”
The Chief Program Officer in the Cabinet Secretariat Duba who received a bronze medal said, “I am most humbled to receive the Royal Civil Service medal along with the certificate from His Majesty the King. I have served for 13 years and the award only motivates me to work harder in the service of the Tsa-Wa-Sum and to achieve a higher medal from His Majesty the King.”
The Head of the InfoComm and Media Development Division under the MoIC, Monira A.Y Tsewang said that she would be putting her silver medal and certificate in the prayer altar room. She said, “I feel so honoured, touched and motivated that His Majesty the King is giving us these medals and certificates. The other thing is that this makes you think if you have done enough.”
