Nu. 96 million from Cordyceps auction in 2008 |
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August 9: Farmers have fetched a record high of Nu. 96 million from Cordyceps auctioning this year. According to the Agriculture Marketing Services, the value realized from the auction is double than that of last year.
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Netherlands Fellowship Programme commits Nu. 30 million to RAA |
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August 9: The Netherlands Fellowship Programme is committing Nu. 30 million for capacity development of the Royal Audit Authority (RAA).
The agreement to the three year bilateral project was signed by Auditor General Ugyen Chhewang, in the presence of Ms Anne-Marie Schreven, the Honorary Consul of the Netherlands in Bhutan.
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August 9: The opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics is taking place amidst hot and humid conditions at the Bird's Nest  stadium. Two archers from Bhutan will compete in the ranking match today.
Two archers, Tashi Peljor and Dorji Dema from Bhutan are participating in the Olympics. Today, they will compete in the ranking match.
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Pay Commission plans 40-60% raise |
Also, Ministry of Finance proposes 50-100% sales tax on cars
9 August, 2008 - The Pay Commission is recommending a civil service pay rise of 40-60 percent and the Ministry of Finance (MoF) is proposing a car sales tax of 50-100 percent, Kuensel has found out.
The proposals, however, are not final and will have to be submitted to the cabinet for approval.
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Drawing the curtain on corruption |
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9 August, 2008 - In what is clearly a “naming and shaming” strategy to take the fight on corruption a step ahead, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is publishing the names of persons and details of corruption in the media for the first time.
About 150 Bhutanese have been named in relation to 34 corruption cases investigated by the ACC since 2006 (see ACC newsletter inside). The cases range from forgery and bribery to misuse of authority and embezzlement of government funds.
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Is Bhutan ready for foreign banks? |
9 August, 2008 - The news that joint venture banks may enter the Bhutanese market next year has thrown the local financial companies into fits of anxiety. It has unsettled its master, the Druk Holding Investment (DHI), which is urgently engaging the government on the wisdom of allowing foreigners in the banking area “so soon”.
DHI contends these things need to be planned first. The Royal Monetary Authority (RMA), the licensing authority for financial service providers in Bhutan, argues it’s about time.
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Bhutan-Nepal talks to resume |
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| Lyonchhen Jigmi Y thinley meets Nepalese PM G P Koirala |
6 August, 2008 - After meeting Nepal’s prime minister, Mr Girija Prasad Koirala, on the sidelines of the 15th SAARC summit in Colombo, Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley said that the two governments had agreed to continue the stalled talks on the people in the camps in Nepal.
Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley said that he had told the Nepalese prime minister that the Bhutanese government was looking forward to continue the discussion so that the problem could be resolved as quickly as possible.
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Opposition leader voices concerns |
Raises questions over recent appointments
2 August, 2008 - Among a list of what is called the “concerns of the opposition party”, the opposition leader, Tshering Tobgay raised an objection to the appointment of the new director of the roads department, four DPT members as cabinet appointees and the compulsory resignation of senior civil servants.
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Who set the party funding ball rolling? |
After much back and forth, the answer is both
2 August, 2008 - Following much debate over the proposal of state funding for political parties, even after its dismissal at the National Assembly, the DPT government and the opposition party are playing the blame game as to who initiated the plan in the first place.
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Something to worry about
2 August, 2008 - Surging oil and food prices mixed with cheap credit have pushed Bhutan’s inflation up to 8.85 percent and inflicted enormous pain on its poor. So far it has shown little sign that it will stop. Experts say that to mend the hurt will need bold measures and pay hike is not one of them.
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“Partnership for our People” |
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| Summiteers : Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley calls on Sri Lankan president Mahinda Raja Paksa |
2 August, 2008 - With the highway bedecked by colourful national flags of member countries, security personnel in every corner, and filled with local and international media and observers, Colombo is all set to hold the 15th South Asia association for regional cooperation (SAARC) Summit, which begins today.
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Parliament’s Constitutional Dilemma |
2 August, 2008 - Bhutan’s young parliament after its very first session seems headed for a constitutional dilemma.
This is because of a growing divide between the National Council (NC) and National Assembly (NA) on procedures for passing the annual budget. NA members had pointed out that NC’s recommendations on the budget were not binding. NC, meanwhile, argued that it would, which would mean a joint sitting where a two-third vote would be needed to pass the budget on any disagreement.
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Religious rites to go vegetarian |
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2 August, 2008 - Starting today, no meat will be served during religious ceremonies held in dzongs and government-owned shedras, drubdeys, lobdrays, and goendeys, according to the dratsang lhengtshog.
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Bhutan export vegetables to Bangladesh |
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August 2, 2008: Bhutanese vegetables are in huge demand in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka. The first consignment of fresh vegetables was flown by Druk Air on a trial basis.
The trial marketing of fresh vegetables to Bangladesh has been a huge success according to agriculture officials.
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The opposition leader, Lyonpo Tshering Tobgay, refuted the statement made by the Lyonchen during a press conference that the People’s Democratic Party was on the verge of collapse.
In a press conference held on July 30, he said that the party did have financial problems but it was not dying.
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