Former health secretary who resigned on “moral grounds” to join politics

The former Heal th Secretary, Dasho Dr Gado Tshering who resigned “on moral grounds” after the health ministry was enmeshed in the corruption controversy, is now planning to join politics.

However, he has no plans of forming a new party but will be joining one of the existing or new ones “in accordance with his people’s will”.

While visiting his home place in Haa, people whose homes had been destroyed by the earthquake and the sick, old, and disabled requested him to represent them in the political arena.

“I asked people and some of the village heads of my constituency to come together and decide which party they want me to be with,” said Dasho Dr Gado Tshering, adding that a Member of Parliament should always consult with his or her constituency while choosing a party.

“I have enjoyed glamour, experience, education and recognition. Now it is time to give back and serve the people,” he said.

Dasho Dr Gado Tshering said that political parties have extended invitations to join in the capacity of a candidate. However, has not yet responded as there is still time during which he will learn about their ideologies. Dasho Dr Gado Tshering is not ruling out anything because he is expecting “issues to clear up”.

Talking about the present political parties, the former secretary said he has heard of the two existing parties but has little knowledge about the emerging ones like Social Democratic Party (SDP) whose focus is on collective decision though their ideology is not socialism.

He said he is still confused over what Druk Mitser Tshogpa (DMT) meant when its spokesperson recently said that the party is waiting for all charges to be cleared against prospective candidates. And he is not sure whether this type of pre-condition will attract potential candidates. He feels it may be one of the ways to pressure the government and agencies concerned to tackle corruption cases on time but “mixing too many things together will disenable the next timely elections as per the Constitution”.

“Having worked as a secretary with the ruling government for five years, I know its main emphasis is on building a good democracy but certain changes in the structure and pattern of leadership should be addressed,” he said. “ It is time to groom the inexperienced but aspiring politicians .”

On Gross National Happiness (GNH), he shared that the present government seems to drag and politicize it too much when it should be treated only as a policy. “The government is artificially projecting Bhutan as a happiness country when there are so many problems,” he said.

“It is selling GNH to other countries and getting mileage out of it.” Talking about his resignation, he said that he openly gave up because things were not running well since he took up office for six years and also it paved the way for younger generations.

“In no way have I ever knowingly or unknowingly involved in corruption or let anyone do so. And that will be my stand even if I join politics,” said Dasho Dr Gado Tshering. He reminded that he will not compromise in terms of government resources and property utilization. At the moment, Dasho Dr Gado Tshering is working with Dr Sonam Drukpa on starting a diagnostic clinic

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13 comments

  1. well,
     every average thinking soul knew the reason behind his resignation…that’s waiting  in the wings to join politics for 2013 and we also know which party he’ll probably join..I would be doomed if he chooses to join the other party.
    It’s sad to see how people can become power hungry in life, he was secretary he couldn’t see the activities that were being carried out right under his nose. That’s outrageous , that is he was either totally incompetent leader or he choose to ignore. To which category he belongs only he himself should know. Now he intents to come back as minister, i’m sure we can guess which ministry he would land up.
    1.How can a totally incompetent man be made a minister, that is if what he says is true, that is he is dead against corruption. hmmmmmm a point to be ponder!!!!!
    2. Next, he choose to ignore the commission raj in MoH, two things comes in mind, that is
    i. He was a part of it
    ii. He otherwise thought it’s better I don’t get dirty.
    But in either ways he proved he is not a good leader.

    At personal level he is a wonderful man, a fine gentleman.
    But leader… I have my doubts… a lot……..anyway my best wishes to him for his diagnostics.
    just my thoughts.

    • Thumps up, I totally agree with you here. He usurped his authorities to his benefits and left health ministry in ramachakles. He says he enjoyed glamour, fame and education and he now wants to give back to his people. Tsk tsk don’t you think he will best serve them if he refrained from any public offices? 

  2. I have high respect for this gentleman. Everyone cannot be perfect, but he might improve. He knows what needs to be improved—-not colluding with the higher ups

  3. liked the way he talked about the GNH- Gross National Harassment

  4. That guy didn’t resign on moral ground…Else how can he explain owning many buildings with mere salary.

    He didn’t have morality…he just has mean way of attracting press as moral ground when he knew that he was not clean…

    Now eating and corrupting as a secretary isn’t enough, he wants to be corrupted with the will of people and destroy whole nation in process.

    That is his GNH…Get Numerous Houses…

  5. I strongly agree on GNH part..globally our nation is regarded as perfect. But in reality it just a dream. Ironically, we are a century behind when it comes to managing our country’s business. Thanks to our beloved K4 who introduced this noble concept. Just my thought..

  6. He resigned because he was a good man but a weak bureaucrat . It displayed he was not capable of leading an organization which was smeared with inefficiency, corruption. Dasho’s justification that he is a clean man is of no use if his organization is inefficient  under his leadership. My only wish is if his people requested him, he needs to really thing seriously whether he will be a changed man or the same man. I wish Dasho be a changed man..which will be all the good otherwise he will block another capable man’s endeavour . Best wishes…

    • It is just not possible to believe that he was not involved in the corruption scandals that have surfaced in the MOH, The fact that he resigned from his post proves it, but he was smart enough to resign, claiming moral reasons for doing so. But if you can’t see through this facade, then we are all big fools.

  7. Another corrupted man on another corrputed govt. in 2013. hell will be set loose in this kingdom!

  8. Given his track record as the MOH Secretary, it would be unwise of any party to appoint him as the Health Minister, if he were to win a seat in parliament and his party were to form the government. Someone who was right in the thick of the corruption scandals in the MOH, now claims that he never indulged in any acts of corruption nor was he aware of any corrupt activities during his tenure in the MOH.

    Now, who is going to believe him, in fact I will be sad if he is not hauled into court with other corrupt health officials when their trails finally get under way.

  9. Where ever he go, he can prove himself. My respect for him and best wishes in politics.

  10. tenzing tshering

    which ever party he joins he will have to answer some of the heath scams.. he will face the reality

  11. This quote sums up the docs motivation: “We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.” ~Aesop

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