News: Bhutanese United Nations’ employees in Afghanistan

Bhutanese United Nations’ employees in Afghanistan, Karma Jimba

“Nothing moves here without paying bribes,” says one of the rare Bhutanese United Nations’ employees in Afghanistan, Karma Jimba.

Karma is among four Bhutanese living and working in war torn Afghanistan. When he first started four years ago, he thought it would be great if he could work for six months. “But time passed and, before I knew it, four years had passed.” Although his car missed bomb blasts several times, he says, “I don’t feel scared.”

Well adjusted to life in Afghanistan, the 43-year-old says that implementing projects and overcoming corruption were the main challenges they face.

“Visiting a project site becomes like a royal entourage,” he said. “I have to be in a bulletproof land cruiser with another armoured car as a backup. And I’m escorted by 18-armed guards, nine in front and nine behind with AK47 and explosive launchers pointing in all directions along the way.”

Karma from Khoma, Lhuntse is the project manager for rural access improvement project under the United Nations office for project services (UNOPS). He worked with the Bhutan logging corporation now NRDCL before joining UN.

Corruption, he feels, is a result of wars. “When I interact with government counterparts, it’s not a professional challenge I face but corruption.”

Afghanistan has two faces: one that of a developed and the other, of a developing country, wrote Karma to Kuensel. It has five star hotels to super express highways to broadband Internet connection. “But the world is using Afghanistan as a dumping ground for second hand goods in the absence of any legal framework,” said Karma. “But not having regulations can sometimes be beneficial to the people,” he adds.

Citing an example, the father of two said that anyone could open a business without a license, thus saving time and money with complicated government procedures. “This is really making business grow and Bhutan should think of deregulating wherever possible. In Bhutan I feel it is a bit over-regulated.”

Donor pressure is what results in quality work and which Karma insists should be duplicated in Bhutan. “Quality control and quality assurance should be very strict, because quality is a serious issue for Bhutan.”

The project he manages has constructed and rehabilitated over 8,000 km of road and built over 60 major bridges, some as long as 250 m.

The situation in Afghanistan is not how the outside world sees it, writes Karma. “In fact, all international employees live in bulletproof well-furnished comfortable houses with air conditioners.”

With strict security rules, and movement only from the guesthouse to office and back, he said, “I am a UN employee and UN security rules are very tight. So it becomes equivalent to being a UN prisoner if one may say so.”

Source: Kuenselonline

News: Bhutan PM to visit India

Prime Minister Lyonchhoen Jigmi Y Thinley

Prime Minister Lyonchhoen Jigmi Y Thinley will be visiting India to felicitate the newly elected government on June 30. In Delhi, Lyonchhoen will call on the Indian President Pratibha D Patil, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and senior government officials.

The prime minister will also meet the Indian National Congress party president Sonia Gandhi and the opposition leader L K Advani.

Foreign secretary Daw Penjo, economic affairs secretary Dasho Sonam Tshering and other senior government officials will be accompanying the prime minister. The delegation will be in India until July 3.

Source: Kuenselonline

News: Bhutan Hundred graduates to undergo intensive IT training in India

Hundred graduates are leaving the country today to undergo intensive IT training in India, courtesy of Infosys technologies ltd. The training is being provided free of cost by the multinational company.

“This is very significant,” said information and communications minister, Lyonpo Nandalal Rai. The minister told the graduates at a final briefing yesterday that they would be representing Bhutan as ambassadors, and that it was very important they succeed. The 100 graduates represent the government’s first official move to create an IT skilled work force for the upcoming IT Park. They will be trained in business processes and software development.

“It’s much more than just training,” said department of information and technology director, Tenzin Choeda, “it’s a test for the country as a possible ground for future investment.” Developing the IT sector to provide an environment to attract local and foreign investment and provide employment opportunities is one of the major goals of the government.

“I don’t know how far this will be beneficial for us,” said Sherab Dorji, one of the graduates, “but it’s an opportunity for those of us who are unemployed.”

Sonam Zangmo, who graduated in June 2008, said she was happy to be selected for the training. But, because of the rising unemployment rate in the country, she said, the success of the training could only be measured once the trainees return. “I hope I get a job when I return,” she said.

Ministry of labour and human resources secretary, Dasho Sonam Tenzin, was very optimistic about the graduates finding employment after completing their training. He said it was not easy to get accepted at an institute like Infosys and that it was only through the goodwill of the company that the 100 Bhutanese were being trained. “They’ll all get employed, even if not with Infosys, they’ll get it elsewhere,” he said.

Source: Kuenselonline

News: Bhutan will witness the total solar eclipse on July 22

Total solar eclipse will take place on July 22

A total solar eclipse will take place on July 22. The solar eclipse will be visible in India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, China and Japan.

Eye specialists are advising people not to watch the solar eclipse with bare eyes. They said the eclipse may appear dim but the sunlight will be so strong. It can damage the innermost part of the eye called the retina.

People are also advised not to watch the solar eclipse through medical x-ray frames, black and white colour frames, CD and floppy disk. Watching the eclipse through digital camera and binoculars can also cause severe damage to the eyes.

An eye specialist at the national referral hospital, Dr. Dechen Wangmo said people will not realize that their eyes are being damaged because there will be no pain initially. The symptoms will start appearing within one to four hours after watching the eclipse. She said the vision will start to deteriorate right after looking at the eclipse,

“Within the first six months, the vision recovers but in some, the damage is permanent. My advice to the patients not to watch solar eclipse directly” said Doctor Dechen Wangmo.

She said if people want to watch the eclipse, the safest way is to watch on a projection and not directly.

She said children are more vulnerable than adults. This is because the natural filter of children’s eyes is not well developed.

According to the Head of the Metrology Section Karma Chophel, the total solar eclipse will be visible in almost all parts of the country. He said part of Punakha, Gasa, Haa and Wangdue will witness partial eclipse. It will begin from west coast of India at 6:53 am. It will reach Bhutan at 6:59 am in the morning. In Bhutan, it will last four minutes ten seconds.

Karma Chhophel said the eclipse will enter from southwest of Bhutan that is from Samtse and exit from Trashiyangtse.

Source:BBS

News: Bhutan Prime Minister presented the first annual report on the state of the nation

Bhutan's Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley

At the opening today, the Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley also presented the first annual report on the state of the nation since the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa government came into power last year.

The two hour thirty minute report was broken into three parts. These are historic events, progress in the pursuit of Gross National Happiness and the state of our emerging democracy.

On the pursuit of GNH, Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley said Bhutan's economy is estimated to have grown by eight percent in the 2008-2009 fiscal year.

After a nationwide survey found that only about 69 percent of the rural water supply schemes are still functioning, the government instructed the respective dzongkhags to rehabilitate and augment the water supply schemes.

To improve health care services, the government recruited 22 specialists from Myanmar and employed 18 retired doctors. It trained and posted about hundred nursing assistants in various hospitals. The government has also launched an accelerated training programme which is expected to produce about 1,400 nurses by 2013 against the projected requirement of 1,534.

In education, over Nu. nine billion have been allocated in the current plan.

The Prime Minister informed the house that the royal government has set an ambitious target of increasing adult literacy rate to 70 percent by 2013.

In agriculture, close to 290 kilometre of farm roads and power tiller tracks were constructed last year. He said the royal government intends to promote Bhutan as a purely organic brand by gradually phasing out the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

The agriculture ministry has come out with a comprehensive national human wildlife conflict management strategy. To develop small and cottage industries, a micro, small and medium enterprise project is being implemented.

During the year, the government approved 51 industrial projects including five FDI projects.

To provide affordable housing, the National Housing Development Corporation has completed 306 units of housing in seven priority dzongkhags. It has provided more than 1,000 new residential units in urban centers so far.

Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley said the government is looking at constructing adequate affordable housing for the large number of citizens who are compelled to live across the border in Jaigaon.

He said land will be provided by the government and construction will be carried out by private sector and the rent will be fixed by the government.

Lyonchhen informed the house that over 4,500 job seekers registered with the ministry of labour and human resources during the year. Of the total over 1,300 have been employed and around 2,000 were referred to various companies in corporate and private sectors.

On public service delivery, Lyonchhen said the Royal Civil Service Commission has established a unit called Improving Public Service Delivery System to reduce administrative burden. He said the government is looking at ways to use information and communication technologies for successful delivery of services.

Lyonchhen said the Grievance Cell established under the cabinet secretariat received about 800 cases as of May this year. Of that, about 450 have been dealt with while the rest are still under process.

The procedure for processing security clearance certificate has been made user friendly and simplified in order to improve service delivery. Speaking on media and its role- Lyonchhen said the government has been encouraging and supporting the development of a free and responsible media. He said each private newspaper and private radio have been granted a subsidy of Nu. two million.

Lyonchhen also spoke on the growing number of social ills in the country over the years. He said alcoholism, prostitution and gambling have increased. He said the government is committed to preventing and reducing the social ills.

The Royal Bhutan Police arrested 418 people in drug related offences and 62 drug traffickers during the year. This was pointed out by the Prime Minister in his government report to the parliament sessions today.

2008 saw only 440 cases of assault and battery compared to 449 cases in 2007. The fall, Lyonchhen said is due to strong advocacy and legal protection given by related NGOs and the government.

Eight cases of prostitution were also reported last year. Many he said may have remained unreported. Lyonchhen said 18 cases of homicide were also reported compared to 14 the previous year. The number of cases related to vandalism and desecration dropped from 194 in 2007 to 169 last year. Suicide cases rose from 50 in 2007 to 53 last year.

Lyonchhen also said divorce and gambling are also increasing.

He said the government is deeply alarmed and said it intends to take concerted measures to curb them.

The Prime Minister’s report is available at www.cabinet.gov.bt.

Source: BBS