The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay in his State of the Nation Address said that the most pressing issue facing our nation today is our people leaving the country in search of better employment opportunities overseas.
The PM said that to date, approximately 64,000 Bhutanese, which is around nine percent of the population, have migrated.
“While it offers our people opportunities to find jobs, acquire skills, and earn income to support their families, it would also present potential risks and challenges if this trend continues,” said the PM.
He said in a tiny country with a small population, human resources are pivotal, especially for economic progress. Any further decrease in the population could adversely impact the foundations of the economy and potentially lead to an economic downturn.
The PM pointed out that as the skilled workforce leaves the country, it not only impacts the economy but also disrupts the effective delivery of public services. For instance, resignations among teachers affect the quality of education, while departures of doctors and nurses lead to deteriorating health services.
Moreover, the ongoing shortage of skilled professionals, including technicians, engineers, and experts in banking and law, exacerbates the current situation and impedes our country’s development.
“If we are not able to address the situation today, our youth abroad will not be motivated to return home. Should these challenges persist, there is a real possibility of our country becoming increasingly depopulated. Under ideal circumstances, our people would choose to stay back in Bhutan. However, many endure the challenges of travelling and living abroad due to limited job opportunities and business prospects in the country.”
The PM said the issue ultimately relates to the small size of our economy. He said as mentioned, despite its size, the economy has grown steadily, guided by principles of sustainability and equality.
“However, we have faced challenges in aligning economic progress with social development. For example, after completing their education, many of our youth struggle to find meaningful employment. They are well-educated, proficient in English, hardworking, and trustworthy. As a result, foreign countries eagerly recruit and employ them, leading to a growing number of Bhutanese youth seeking opportunities
abroad. Whether we can provide meaningful employment opportunities for our youth within the country will be determined by the current state and growth prospects of our economy.”
The PM said that Bhutan’s small economy has not yet fully recovered from the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic. Many businesses continue to remain adversely affected. Those who wish to expand their businesses are unable to secure loans, and many are struggling to repay existing loans. This has led to imports outstripping exports, a sharp decline in foreign reserves, and an increase in external debt.
He said today, Bhutan stands at a crossroads.
“If we are not able to unite, work together and choose the right path, our country will suffer serious repercussions. Our beloved country faces an unprecedented existential crisis. Make no doubt about it. We ignore this crisis at our own peril.”
He said to address this urgent crisis, we must first acknowledge the challenges and risks we face.
“To overcome them, we must unite as one people to fortify and protect our
country.”
“This is our most urgent responsibility, our most sacred duty. Each and every one of us must take part in nation-building, for the simple reason that no one else will do it
for us.”
We all know the migration is a serious challenge to Bhutan and very well that prime minster realises it. But what is the solution? Merely stating the fact doesn’t force the problem to solve itself? The prime minister came to power two times riding on a narrative that then governments were incompetent and he and his team would address their shortcomings. In his last term, he did nothing worth remembering. What’s his plan this time? What’s the concrete plan beyond the statements he makes? What’s the solution? How is he and his team creating jobs? How is the country working toward improving real wage? How? Without these answers, it’s wastage of everyone’s time for the PM to say anything? We all know we got problem. We elected you to solve them.