Works and Human Settlement Minister elected as DPT vice president

July 7: The Works and Human Settlement Minister Lyonpo Yehsey Zimba has been elected as the Vice President of Druk Phunsum Tshogpa at the party’s fourth executive committee meeting on Saturday, July 5.

The meeting began with the members electing the Works and Human Settlement Minister Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba as the Party’s Vice President.

Party members and coordinators from the 20 dzongkhags attended the two day executive meeting.

The Economic Affairs Minister Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk said it would be appropriate to have Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba, the senior most minister, as the vice president. Meanwhile, Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba said he is happy to have the support of the members.

Meanwhile, the Party President Lyoenchen Jigmi Y. Thinley said although the executive members have accepted the proposal, it will have to be taken to the General Assembly for endorsement.

The executive meeting also discussed other issues from financial status of the party to the roles and responsibilities of party coordinators.

The meeting will continued till yesterday with discussions on fund raising, loan repayment and the need for party magazine among other issues.

File: Download Attached File for More Details

DPT takes upper Haa

13 November, 2007 – The Ugen Dorji Higher Secondary School hall auditorium was a full house in Haa yesterday. People on a full balcony, sitting on the stairs, close to 100 people stretched inside and outside of the main entrance. The inside hall had close to 1200 people.

Speaking to the public of upper Haa consisting of Katsho, Isu and Bji gewogs Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba briefed the potential 1200 voters on the importance of having two political parties and what that meant to them as voters.

He formally introduced their political party the DPT and explained what democracy meant for Bhutan.

Party president Lyonpo Jigmi Y. Thinley said, “The essence of democracy was an exercise of choice through the ballot that has been given to all of us. It is the responsibility of every citizen who is 18 years and older to vote and elect the right people. There are three criteria’s when we make this decision.

1. The manifesto is important but will play a greater role after the first five years, at the moment the manifestos of both parties will be similar in many ways, but it is only after five years when voters can judge for themselves if the party has stayed the course or completely deviated from the manifesto that was presented at the start of their term.

2. 47 people will be elected as candidates throughout Bhutan and it is from these 47 people that the cabinet ministers, the speaker and the prime minister will be chosen from. Does a party have these kinds of leaders that will shape our future? This burden must be shouldered by every voting individual when they decide whom to vote for.

3. Know your candidates and party, know their competence, capability, background and political morality. We can already make judgements from now on the ethical character of each party based on what we see and hear and how they conduct themselves.

It is the totality of these three criteria’s on which you must base your choice. Quite often ones support for a candidate is based on friendship or some kind of relationship. The ballot is not the testing ground for loyalty to family or friends it is the ground for choosing leaders who will shape your democratically elected government for better or worse.”

“Finally you need to study each party and judge for yourselves if they have taken into consideration the future of the party’s leadership as we have. The DPT has three generations spanning the experienced, the qualified and the youth. As time passes so will the torch of experience completing our party from beginning to end.”

Speaking as the DPT candidate to the upper constituency of Haa, Dasho Pem Tshering said, “I know your problems and difficulties and I have come here to serve you the people. Democracy is a new system of government and because of this I have the opportunity to stand by you and help meet your needs according to the constitution. I will represent you under the banner of the DPT to the best of my ability. We will be a government for the people by the people.”

Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk explained the transition the kingdom was going through to the public of Haa, “The nation is going through a critical period in its history. Our present generation of our people have the golden opportunity as well as the sacred responsibility to ensure the success of democracy for our children and ourselves. Towards this process, it is important for our women to fully participate to ensure this success.”

Former gup Pem Tshering 67 years old from Bji gewog said, “ I will vote for the DPT because I believe in them and I have the faith and belief in our candidate and leaders.”

Former gup Neemchu 60 years old from Isu gewog said, “I can’t say at this stage who will benefit us more, the DPT or the PDP, but the DPT is a party created by the common man and they have experienced leaders with five former ministers who I feel will understand our needs greater than the other party. They have my vote.”

Former gup Khandu 50 years old from Katsho gewog said, “His Majesty has given us the gift to vote and elect our new government the five former ministers have served our King and country well and we have faith in their leadership abilities.”

Namgay Tshering 29 years old from Isu gewog said that most of the people from Isu gewog will be supporting the DPT and Dasho Pem Tshering’s candidency. We have faith in him because the leaders have faith in him, he will have our support.”

DPT leads among educated voters

July 15, 2007 – Thimphu: A BT poll, conducted via email and face-to-face interview, suggests that the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) currently enjoys a sizeable lead among the educated Bhutanese voters.

Of the total 500 polled, 251 (50.2%) said they would vote for DPT while 128 (25.6%) would opt for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Seventy seven respondents said they would decide only after the ideology, manifesto and other positions of the two parties were made public. Forty four respondents said they wouldn’t vote at all.

The poll has an error margin of plus or minus four percent.

Among the feedbacks, educated Bhutanese still felt the need to have more than just two political parties and were not very happy with the evolving political scenario. “I want to see one more party come by and contest,” said one.

“Many changes are yet to happen and loyalties between the two party members are bound to interchange,” said another. While most were willing to wait and watch what the two parties have to offer to the people collectively, some were of the opinion that politicians are corrupt and dirty. “Therefore, whichever party comes to power wouldn’t really matter.”

Explanatory notes : Of the sample size of 500, 124 responded via email and 376 were interviewed face-to-face. The email polling began at 1pm on Friday and closed at 11 am Saturday. A total of 1,500 emails were sent to users across the country.

The email poll was limited to the urban educated voters who have access to the internet. The face-to-face interviews were conducted primarily along the Norzin Lam and the vegetable market area in Thimphu.

Norlha Associates, a Thimphu-based consultancy firm, assisted BT in conducting the poll as scientifically as possible.

BT will conduct a similar poll in the rural areas very soon.

PM confirms resignation

2 July, 2007 – Thimphu: Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk, who has entered history as the last prime minister in the present system of government, will resign within weeks, reports Voice of America.

He told VoA News that he and six other members of the 10-member cabinet will leave their post to join politics at what he called a “critical juncture” in Bhutan’s history.

A caretaker prime minister will take over by early August till the interim government is formed.

“To join the political process it requires us to stand down from our present responsibilities because if we continue you would have what we call conflict of interest,” he told VoA. “It is not proper for us to continue our function as ministers or even for myself, as prime minister, and yet undertake political activities.”

He will be reportedly running for the National Assembly as an APP candidate from upper Paro.

Interview with the DPT President

18 August, 2007 – What should the Bhutanese voter expect in 2008? The Druk Phuensum Tshogpa and the People’s Democratic Party formally applied this week to register as political parties to contest the 2008 elections. In the absence of any other parties being formed, one of these parties will form the first elected government and the other will sit in opposition.

The chosen leader of the DPT shared his thought at this stage of the electoral process. The party manifestos are not yet public but he provided some insight into what the Bhutanese electorate can expect over the coming months and, perhaps, the next five years.

Q1. Ap Penjore is a farmer in Gasa, Sonam Choden is a doma seller in Sibsoo, Kencho Dorji is the general manager of a corporation, Dechen is a civil servant. Why should each of these people vote for you?

Druk Phuensum Tshogpa is a party that is deeply committed to building a political culture governed by the highest ethical and moral standards. In so doing, abiding by the laws of the land is essential. Seeking people’s vote for individual candidates such as myself is unlawful until such time as the Election Commissioner announces the campaign dates.

Q2. Say your party wins in the 2008 election. Can you give us a profile of your Cabinet, either as it exists, or as you envision it?

It is a little too early and presumptuous for me to say at this stage. Hazarding a guess (as the party has not discussed this) in size, it will be around 10; in quality, highly professional and competent with a mix of old and new; in terms of equity, all regions will be represented.

Q3. As we look at the mixed candidature of former ministers and officials as well as many new faces there is talk of “old wine and new wine.” What are your comments?

I am not a connoisseur of wines. But I know why vintage is valued and why one must be hopeful of new wine and trust in its ability to please the expectant palate.

Q4. How will your government differ in its functioning from the government of the past 10 years?

Our government will be directly accountable to the electorate unlike in the past when it was mainly accountable to HM the King and the National Assembly.

Q5. Employment, education, roads and infrastructure, preserving Bhutanese culture, preserving the environment, health care. How would you number these issues, from 1 to 6, in terms of prioritisation, and why?

Here again, the responsibility of a leader is to provide vision. That does not mean he should impose his will on his party and take decisions on his own. Party Charter is still on the anvil and will be adopted by the General Assembly on the 20th of August. I will be better qualified to speak on this subject then.

Q6. What is your view of party ideologies? Will ideology play an important role in the 2008 elections?

I doubt whether ideologies will play a major role in party preference for the voter. As everywhere else, politics in Bhutan will be largely issue -based and personality oriented- the latter more so in the first elections. Political fortunes, after 2013, will be determined on the basis of how important issues have been addressed or resolved and how trustworthy the party leaders and people’s representatives have been.

Q7. How do you see Bhutan 10 years from now? How do you see it 20 years from now?

That will depend on how the people make use of the precious gift of the vote that HM the 4th king has given to them. Personally, I would like to see Bhutan graduating fully out of the LDC club with a tolerable level of unemployment, no pockets or sections of poverty and faithful adherence to the philosophy of GNH, all within a vibrant and orderly democracy in 10 years. 20 years on, I would like to see Bhutan having become what the world thinks it is today.

Q8. Apart from His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo and His Majesty the Druk Gyalpo, who is your role model?

Nelson Mandela for his indomitable spirit and the power to forgive.

Q9. The world talks about branding. What is the image of Bhutan that you would like to portray to the world?

The Land of Happiness.

Q10. What would you do to avoid the fractionalisation of Bhutanese society because of party politics?

Politics need not be and must not be divisive. I would like to promote a brand of politics which aspires for and is motivated by nobler aspirations than those that it is normally associated with and instead, serve to bring even greater social cohesion and unity in our country. These, in fact, shall be the endeavours of Druk Phuensum Tshogpa.

His Majesty the King’s Address to Graduates of 2007

24 October, 2007 – There are only three things that I always keep in mind when I am working – three things that influence all decisions that I take. The first is the Peace, Security and Prosperity for Bhutan now and in the future. Second issue that I consider very important for our country’s future is the Achievement of the goals of Gross National Happiness. The third is Building a Vibrant Democracy for our country.

Peace Security and Prosperity for Bhutan

Now when I speak of Peace and Security – I am not talking of the physical defence of the nation. I am speaking of the peace and security that comes when people are united in their love for their country and united in their efforts to further secure, consolidate and hand over an even stronger nation to their children.

True Peace and Security of Bhutan will always come from the love and hard work of our people.

If, every single day, every Bhutanese respects our culture and traditions, our environment, if we uphold the law, if we safeguard everything that is important to Bhutan and to our future generations, if we do our jobs to the best of our abilities, then we will always continue to build a strong nation according to our aspirations, unique to our own way of life.

This is the peace, security and prosperity I am talking about.

I know that we all love our country. Now as you are about to shoulder greater responsibilities in life, I want you to love your country in the most intelligent manner. It is one thing to love your country, it is quite another to love it intelligently.

Now this brings us to the next issue -

Achieving the goals of Gross National Happiness

First of all, what is GNH? GNH is the philosophy that acts as our National Conscience, helping us as a nation in making better and wiser decisions for our future – it reminds us to uphold the well being and work for the happiness of every single Bhutanese at all times.

Why is GNH important for our country? For a small nation with a small population, it is vital that we have a shared national objective. We simply cannot afford to work in different directions. We must always have a common goal – the goal of achieving GNH for our people.

Now the most important question, how do we continue to achieve GNH in the 21st century? Remember, what GNH is will never change, but how we achieve GNH will. A changing world will present new challenges and opportunities to Bhutan and it is the responsibility of every generation to find new ways of achieving the goals of GNH.

Today’s world demands economic excellence and I have no doubt that during our lifetime we will be working towards building a stronger economy for Bhutan to further consolidate and secure our own future. In doing so, no matter what our immediate goals are, I am confident that the philosophy of GNH will ensure that ultimately our foremost priority will always be the happiness and the well being of our people.

In other words, I believe that GNH today is a bridge between the fundamental values of kindness, equality, and humanity and the necessary pursuit of economic growth.

This brings us to the third issue-

Building a Vibrant Democracy

Now, whenever we talk about democracy, the things that come to our minds are politics, elections and political parties. This is natural, after all, parties, politicians and elections are very much a part of a democratic system. But democracy is not about politics alone. Democracy is inherently about values and principles.

We have worked very hard and we can proudly say that the system we have built, the unique and profound Constitution that we have drafted, are as strong and sound as possible. We have made a good start.

Now, if we want our democratic system to work, if we want a democracy that will fulfil the aspirations of our people, then we must take the next step, we must adopt the ideals of democracy, the principles of democracy. We must build a democratic culture. This period when democracy takes root is a slow process – it takes time – but this process is crucial for the ultimate success of democracy in our country.

I believe that the deciding factor between the success and failure of a new democratic system has always been the presence or absence of the right conditions. So many young democracies began life under weak and unstable political and economic environments. These countries had little chance for success from the beginning.

For Bhutan, our great strength has been our political stability. Now if we can build a strong economy, we will have the unshakable foundations for a vibrant democracy.

I am confident of the success of democracy in Bhutan, because democratic values will find fertile ground to grow in Bhutanese society, a society with our own immensely profound age-old values.

Therefore, my goals for Bhutan are simple. We will build a vibrant democracy founded on a strong economy. This will be the means through which we will achieve Gross National Happiness and fulfil the aspirations of our people.

Why am I always putting so much emphasis on the economy? The answer is simple. I am a realist, and there is no doubt in my mind that, in this day and age, a nation’s success is determined by the strength and competitiveness of her economy. This may change in the future but today, if we are to succeed in this globalized world, we need a strong economy. It is as simple as that.

Yet it is not the need for a strong economy that I am focused on. I am focused on, and excited by, the challenges of creating a strong economy, because in order to do that we will have to work harder than ever before, we will have to further consolidate and build upon our existing strengths. We will have to build:

A strong education system

An effective and strong bureaucracy

A strong private sector

Uncompromised respect for law

Strong infrastructure

Good leadership at all levels

The Spirit of Innovation, Creativity and Enterprise

A Culture of Hard Work, Dynamism and Excellence in whatever we do.

If we can do all this, then a strong economy will be just one of many great rewards for Bhutan. Leadership, excellence, dynamism and enterprise, and a strong education system, infrastructure or bureaucracy – these are all National Wealth that will serve Bhutan forever, irrespective of the challenges that lie ahead of us.

Therefore, creating a strong economy is not the only goal – it is a necessary step on the path to success – success that will bring our country everlasting national wealth.

People will also ask why am I always emphasizing Success and Excellence? Success and excellence are desirable goals for any individual or country – but for a small country like ours with a population of 600,000 people living in this fast changing world, success and excellence in every single Bhutanese is our only hope for survival. When I speak of success and excellence, I am actually speaking about our country’s survival in this modern world.

I truly believe that Bhutan must build a society that is completely based on merit. Bhutan must not tolerate mediocrity. We must be achievers, we must excel. It is no longer enough to say, “ I am the best in Bhutan,” I expect you to be the best wherever you go in this world.

Lastly, we must all remember that the nation is most important and must be held high above us all as individuals. Bhutan may have 20 dzongkhags, 205 gewogs, 10 ministries and, from 2008 onwards, 47 constituencies and so on. But for me, I firmly believe that we must not forget that first and most importantly, we are all the same – we are citizens of one small nation. We must be united – all of us, we should be thinking about how to serve the same country, fulfil our aspirations and achieve the same goals for our future generations. We must always be One Nation with One Vision in our convictions and efforts.