The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Tshencho Wangdi
Tshencho Wangdi holds a Masters in International Relations, BA in Political Science and Sociology and BA in Buddhist Philosophy. He worked as an operations manager and general manager prior to declaring his candidature for the NC race.
On his seven opponents, he said that it has given the people of Punakha a greater and broader platform to choose the best candidate to represent them.
If elected, Tshencho said that apart from fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of a NC member, he shall focus more on supporting the policies that demand the enhancement of rural communities, and advocating policies of pertinence for the civil servants. “I will also promote the philosophy of ‘One Nation, One People’, advocate policies for self-sufficiency, address youth related issues, maintain and disseminate the policies of balanced rural-urban development.”
Dechen Thaiye Dorji
Dechen Thaiye Dorji holds a LLB degree from Karnataka State Law University and completed his post graduate in national law from Royal Institute of Management. He worked for four years as an advisor and a practicing lawyer.
Dechen said that he chose to contest for the NC race after giving it many considerations. “The fact that I am, by virtue, a lawyer, I have the requisite legal knowledge to deliberate and discuss the bills from a legal perspective. Therefore, by serving the people, I believe I can contribute more as a National Council member. And I would like to bridge the gap between the government and people and serve the Tsa Wa Sum.”
He added, “I feel I have requisite experience and knowledge to be of more assistance in putting the people’s will into laws of the land and ensure that the laws passed are flawless for a better future.”
Dechen Zangmo
Dechen Zangmo has a Doctor of Philosophy with 30 years of experience as a teacher, lecturer, assistant professor, researcher, and curriculum expert.
Having served as a policy implementer for many years, she said she would like to be a part a body for making policies, using her long term experience and expertise in research. She feels that more women should come forward and get involved in important tasks, such as reviewing laws and policies of the country.
“If elected, I would like to first carry out a thorough research, make a detailed situation analysis and based on the findings from the research and after consulting with all the people, changes will be made on research-based evidence,” said Dechen Zangmo.
Sonam
Sonam completed Bachelors in Civil Engineering, and has a total of 15 years of work experience as land management officer, structural engineer, and head of water supply and sanitation.
He said that he decided to contest to give more and better option to the people to choose the right person who can serve them well. “If elected, I would like to improve the quality of service and amenities at the grassroots level, based on my engineering knowledge.”
Lhaki Dolma
Lhaki Doma holds a BA degree from College of Language & Cultural Studies and a Post-Graduate degree from the Royal Institute of Management. She worked in the Ministry of Agriculture before pursuing an independent film career as a writer, director, producer and an actor.
“The National Council is a body that offers you the opportunity to serve your country in the highest legislative body, by representing the entire dzongkhag and not just few gewogs. Furthermore, the parallel body would be the National Assembly where you also have to be a member of a political party. The National Council is as important and more suitable for my circumstances,” said Lhaki.
On the lesser women contesting for the seats, she said, “Whether you are a man or a woman, whatever you do is an individual choice and decision. We need to respect that. This is what democracy is all about. While I understand that there is less women participation, I guess with time, this disparity would improve. Being a woman should neither be an advantage nor a disadvantage to achieve anything in life.”
If elected, her priority area is to propose some bold initiatives to further Punakha as the cultural and spiritual heartland of Bhutan, which all Bhutanese can be proud of. “It should become a must-visit place for all Bhutanese once in a lifetime. On a more mundane aspect, I would like to promote Punakha as part of the development of a Greater Capital region that can ease the congestion of Thimphu. Thirdly, Punakha, with its temperate climate, has a high potential and a ready market for farm produce and serene getaways. All these initiatives should also help in generating employment and income to the people of Punakha.”
Rinchen Dorji
Rinchen Dorji graduated from Gaeddu College of Business Studies (2013) and after that he undertook guide training course and started his own business.
He decided to join the NC race to set an exemplary role to the youth who are skeptical of coming forward, and to pass the message that participation is important to gain experience.
If elected, his priority would be to firstly focus on the youth of the country and to bridge the gap between the Government and the people to achieve His Majesty The King’s vision.
Kinley Wangchuk
Kinley Wangchuk holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration and worked in the Ministry of Education for 21 years in various capacities as a teacher, principal, district education officer, and a principal in a private school.
He said that there were only two candidates in the 2013 election from Punakha for the NC race, and since he wanted to give more choice to the people to make an informed decision, he decided to contest for the election. “I also wanted to change the mindset of the people towards a healthy democratic process by fulfilling the pledges we make during our campaign period where people seem to have lost faith in our elected leaders.”
If elected, he would like to prioritize in filling the gap between the youth and the education system by guiding the youth on the right path through various measures.
Namgay Wangchuk
Namgay Wangchuk holds a Master’s in Public Policy and Management, Murdoch University, Australia, and English for Academic Program (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), Phoenix Academy, Australia and Bachelor’s of Education from Paro College of Education. He also underwent leadership program for Dynamics of Effective Negotiation Asian Center for Banking, the Philippines.
He worked as a Member of Parliament, National Assembly (2008-2013), worked as a focal person for new curriculum development in schools (2005-2007), and a teacher.
“It was a great honour to represent the people of Punakha in National Assembly (2008-2013), it was a great privilege for me to actively participate in all the deliberations and passing of more than 40 Bills. Moreover, the past opportunity bestowed on me further encouraged me to participate in the NC election, to fulfill the vision of His Majesty The King and people, uphold the Constitution and enrich the national value of our nation,” said Namgay Wangchuk.
If elected, Namgay Wangchuk said that there are more to be done to make Punakha more sustainable, happier and prosperous in the years to come.
