The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Prime Minister Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay announced that he has requested the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) to investigate his compound wall and security arrangement to establish whether or not there was corruption.
Lyonchhen said that this is the second time he has requested the ACC to look into a matter concerning him. He said that four years ago when the Opposition claimed conflict of interest in electric vehicles he invited the ACC to investigate the matter. He said the ACC investigated the matter and found that there was no conflict of interest.
The PM invited the Opposition party to also follow lead his lead on the issues of 11 Prados, and 1 Land Cruiser, walls and structures built for former ministers and also an array of other cases.
The PM said that the older ministers had got plenty of experience to serve the government from an early age, serving as ministers before democracy and even entering democracy as ministers.
Lyonchhen said that he, however, has come to the conclusion that these ministers instead of using their skills to serve the nation and public well had instead excelled at covering their tracks.
The PM brought up the Nu 77 mn Le Meriden FI case, Education City, Trowa, Denchi, Gyelpozhing and others as examples of policy corruption by the former older ministers.
The PM stressed that policy corruption is the most dangerous form of corruption as laws could be made to favour people in power.
The PM once again highlighted that though DPT had talked about a letter allotting the Prados and Land Cruiser he had found that the letter was actually from the cabinet signed by the former Prime Minister.
He said that he confirmed with the Ministry of Finance that a Royal Kasho accompanies a solera and that the ministry had confirmed to him there was no such Royal Kasho, which is why he handed back his Prado to the government.
Lyonchhen said that the Land Cruiser taken by the ex-PM was a top of the line one bought from Europe in 2012. He said this is when government land cruisers are usually bought from STCBL in Thimphu.
Countering the DPT’s latest press release the PM said that DPT had alleged additional cost in the electric lights and CCTV cameras but these were never installed in the first place.
On the paved road to his residence the PM said that it was not built for him but by the Thimphu Thromde for all the local residents in the area who along with the PM gave up 30 percent of their land in land pooling.
The PM again clarified that the wall had not been part of the main observation of the RAA and that it was only pointed out in an annexure with the RAA neither asking the money back nor stating that it was misuse of funds. The PM said that he chose to voluntarily refund the money.
The PM said that while the opposition accused him of not staying in the ministers enclave it was not possible as the residence of the PM is the national guest house in the absence of the actual guest house.
Lyonchhen said he would much prefer to stay in the enclave given the facilities there. He said that as the Opposition Leader he was denied a house there. The PM said that, however, when the current OL requested for a house there the government was more than happy to accommodate him.
The Prime Minister said that he takes a great pride in the fact that in four and a half years there has been no major scams that have hit the government while in contrast the former government faced multiple major scams and corruption cases.
The PM called for an end to the back and forth press release as he said it was simply an attempt by the Opposition to deflect from the Nu 77 mn policy corruption of Le Meriden.
At the same time Lyonchhen said that what appears to be ugly mud slinging now would be good for future governments as they would know that they cannot get away with breaking the law or corruption, and that is good.
