The Bhutanese Leading the way.
He will nominate the ministerial candidates too
In a secret ballot held behind closed door on July 19, the 32 winning candidates of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have unanimously elected their president Tshering Tobgay as the prime ministerial candidate for the new government.
The Mongar candidate, Jigme Zangpo who is still in his constituency submitted his “yes” vote via telephone.
PDP, in line with its ideology, recommended for the winning candidates to nominate the prime ministerial candidate. This, the party’s spokeperson Tandin Wangmo said, is the inimitable system developed based on the party’s ideology of “Wangtse Chhirphel”, which is all about empowering people for liberty, equality, and prosperity by devolving power and authority.
She also said the party president insisted on PDP setting up a new system whereby, the winning candidates nominate and elect a candidate to the post of Prime Minister.
Tandin Wangmo said such a system would prevent future predicaments, such as the party’s president losing from his or her own constituency, and it will also help to elect capable candidates in the party for the prime ministerial post.
According to the press release, the candidates have also requested the Prime Minister elect to work on the nomination of the ministerial candidates. The Gasa candidate Damcho Dorji said that given the paramount role of the ministers in the government and the collective responsibility of the cabinet, the candidates should first be nominated by the Prime Minister elect, and then be presented to the executive committee for endorsement.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister elect has acknowledged the views expressed on the nomination of the ministers as a very difficult and unenviable task. “The job of the minister is most challenging and calls for the utmost capability and hard work,” added the Prime Minister elect.
The Prime Minister elect has also reminded the candidates to be mindful and work as one team that has been entrusted with one task, that of serving the King, people and nation. Further, he has also reminded all the winning candidates not to falter, fail, or forget their commitments to the sacred duty under any circumstance.
He asked the candidates to take extra responsibility in elevating the nation to new heights and make it a truly GNH nation by ensuring the happiness of every citizen. “This is our aspiration, and we will always resolve to fulfill it, irrespective of the challenges ahead,” Prime Minister elect said.
The Prime Minister elect expressed his gratitude to all the candidates for placing their trust and confidence in him. Meanwhile, the list of the selected ministerial candidates will be submitted by the Prime Minister elect to the Executive Committee on July 21.
The Prime Minister elect is 49 years old and is from the Sombaykha constituency in Haa Dzongkhag. He has a B.A Mechanical Engineering From Pittsburgh, Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard University.
Before joining politics in 2008, Prime Minister elect Tshering Tobgay started his career in the civil service in 1991 with the Technical and Vocation Education Section under the department of Education. In 1998, he established and headed the erstwhile National Technical Training Authority. He also served as a director in the ministry of Labour and Human Resources from 2003 till 2007. He founded and managed the Education Staff Welfare Scheme and the Thimphu Youth Center. He also served in various boards including the Youth Development Fund, Council for Higher Education and the University of Bhutan. He was also the first official to resign from the civil service to take part in politics in 2008 and he was one of the founding members of the PDP.
