The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The common forum in Haa witnessed the PDP President highlighting important issues that affect the country and also putting forward solutions.
First off was the excess loan of Nu 84bn and the Rupee shortage, whereby and eventually US$ 400mn were sold to buy rupees.
“If the money is finished we people are going to suffer,” he said on this financial gaffe pulled by the former ruling party.
Adding on to that in five years, corruption was on the rise and youth unemployment issues cropped up on a yearly basis. The highlight to this hive of stinging issues according to the PDP President is most prominently the Indo-Bhutan ties which have been affected.
Calling it a matter of huge concern he said, “the Indian government supported us till the 10th plan and for 11th plan they have not yet responded and recently subsidies on LPG and Kerosene where withdrawn”.
“If we cannot solve such issues as soon as possible we people are going to suffer, people are worried and they have to worry because if we worry, we will be able to solve such kind of problems. If not, one day we will remain in shock,” he said. “From PDP’s side, we can solve it and we have to solve it, be it loan, rupee or economic problems.”
Tshering Tobgay said problems have to be solved in consultation with the people. “It has to be solved consulting with experts, we will have to start with meetings to address this,” he added.
Given a chance and supported by the people, PDP would work on the Indo-Bhutan friendship and bring down the price of gas and kerosene to what it was before and more importantly address the 11th FYP budget.
During the question and answer session the public threw questions to both the party on youth employment.
DPT’s candidate Dago Tsheringla said during DPT’s five year term, there were many youths who graduated and except for few thousands almost all were employed.
He said that in the next five years 1, 40,000 youth is expected which is a challenge for DPT but he adding saying it is more of an opportunities.
He said through projects, a Deputy Minister in the labor ministry will help address such issues.
Tshering Tobgay said if DPT really worked well in its five years term such questions of unemployment would not arise. He said Bhutan was a small country and with the given population job opportunities can be given to all.
“We always say we don’t have enough capable persons and when there are capable persons we are not able to employ them,” he said highlighting DPT’s failure to give jobs.
He said given a chance, firstly we are going to work on providing jobs.
Tshering Tobgay said new jobs will be created and youth would be sent for ex-country trainings where they will be capable, earn and get experience as well.
According to Tshering Tobgay it is not that DPT didn’t get opportunities, countries like Korea came with programs but DPT didn’t work accordingly and didn’t send the youths outside.
Likewise with so many problems ensued like for instance, rather than giving jobs to youths, candidates are planning to give themselves jobs by appointing deputy labor minister.
The PDP President said labor ministry is smallest of all and it can be looked after by one labor minister.
“This shows that they are not able to work,” he added.
