The Bhutanese Leading the way.
A common point of agenda promised by both the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidates from the Bji-Katsho-Uesu constituency was the reclamation of the historical Haa dzong
The candidates started their common forum by thanking His Majesty the King, the monk body, and greeting people gathered at the Gongzim Ugyen Dorji middle secondary school on June 25.
Both candidates shared their concerns about the historical Haa dzong. The first speaker, Dasho Dr Gado Tshering from DPT, who has also served as Secretary of Health Ministry said the party would consult with Indian Government and get back the dzong while keeping the Bhutan-India relations intact. On the other hand, PDP candidate from the constituency, Kinley Om who worked at Royal Monetary Authority before joining the party said that either a new dzong should be built or repossess the old one.
The DPT candidate said he looks forward for the country to fulfill its self sufficiency goal by 2020 with the hydro-projects revenue to support the goal. He spoke on the benefits the earlier plants of Tala and Chukha, how much national income was generated, etc. “Henceforth, coming projects like Mangdechu, Punatshangchhu I and II, Amochu, Kholongchhu would fulfill the target,” he added.
Regarding the resolving of financial deficit in the country, Kinley Om suggested to reintroduce the Bhutan Lottery which would be able to generate high revenue for the country.
Gado Tshering as mentioned in DPT’s manifesto pledged to reduce the poverty rate from existing 15% to 5% and highlighted achievement of DPT government in reducing the poverty rate from 23% to 15% in its five-year term.
Following the path of Gross National Happiness, he said, the various developmental activities will be carried out. With the party’s ideology of “equity and justice” he promised to support the poorer citizens, and to better their income.
“More to be done,” Dasho Dr Gado added, and said DPT has achieved much in the last five years with the construction of roads, telecommunication network, water supply, etc.
He talked on promoting tourism sector and assured to increase the tourists visiting country to the count of 200,000 in a span of five years, and to boost the private sector. He convinced the people on efficient licensing process of the business licenses and redemption from the taxes for the small business firms.
For the benefit of civil servants, he promised to increase the salary, revise and update the existing PCS (Position Classification System).
Talking on the PDP’s ideology the PDP candidate, Kinley Om said, “The party’s ideology of PDP, ‘Wangtse Chirpel’ is formulated and based on the Gross National Happiness (GNH) principles and upon the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan.”
She assured her constituents on providing power from the Central Government to Local Government, and to increase in budget allocation to Nu 200,000 from Nu 50,000.
She promised to solve the issue of human-wildlife conflict, provide a power tiller each and every chiwog to improve the efficiency of the existing agricultural sector, to give youth employment as far as the qualification of the job seekers, to provide one utility vehicle in every chiwog, provide two helicopters, to upgrade the BHU at Haa to a hospital, and to increase the salary of the civil servants.
Thukten Zangpo / Thimphu
