Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay yesterday refused to receive the revised salary

Surprising parliamentarians and the people, Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay yesterday refused to receive the revised salary, and announced that he would donate the additional Nu 50,000 from his revised monthly salary to charity.

While presenting the State of the Nation report to Parliament, lyonchhoen said many people have criticised the salary for members of parliament and cabinet ministers.

“I’ll not defend the increase or argue whether it’s too high or not,” lyonchhoen said. “However, on the prime minister’s (PM) salary, I also agree that it’s too high.”

“Our country can’t afford it and my conscience will not be able to accept it,” lyonchhoen said.

Lyonchhoen stated that he would be accepting the salary equivalent to that received by the cabinet ministers, and the additional monthly amount of Nu 50,000 would be donated to charity organisations at the end of his five-year term.

“There’s no motive, I’m just driven by the understanding that the PM’s salary was too high,” lyonchhoen told Kuensel.

Lyonchhoen said that, on one hand, the government was trying austerity and, on the other, the PM can’t be accepting such a big salary.

“Several members, both in the opposition and the ruling party, said that I have to take it, but I said I couldn’t accept this and, if the PM must get more, than give him Nu 1 more, just as a token, which wasn’t accepted as well,” lyonchhoen said.

He added that the first Parliament, in its sixth session, approved the pay scale and the present government, the day it took office, should have legally started accepting the higher salary, because it was already passed by the parliament.

“But we didn’t, because we felt responsible to drive the austerity measures, and we didn’t want to take the high package,” lyonchhoen said.

He said that the salary reduction was discussed earlier and submitted to Parliament.  However, the proposal had been already endorsed and approved by the first parliament.

“That is law. We can’t just change it and that’s why, we didn’t accept it and we didn’t change it,” he said. “We submitted it back to Parliament and I requested to revise the PM’s salary downward, but none of this was accepted.”

Lyonchhoen had however not identified the charities that he will donate his approximately Nu 2.7M at the end of his term.

Economics affairs minister Norbu Wangchuk said that the PM’s decision has been made in good faith, and it set the tone for others to follow.

“It’s a noble gesture and will set a role model for leaders,” he said.

Minister for information and communications, DN Dhungyel, said the PM was recommended a higher salary, but it was the wisdom of the PM to not accept the recommended pay scale.

Personally, the minister said he did not support this decision, because the cabinet ministers and the PM had two very different types of responsibilities.

Finance minister Namgay Dorji said that the pay scale for PM and the ministers was a resolution of the National Assembly, which could not be over-written.

“However the PM’s intentions are clear and we respect his decision,” lyonpo Namgay Dorji said.

While some cabinet ministers applauded the move, Bhutan Kuen-Nyam Party tweeted, “An intentional raise of 131 percent disagreeing to the pay commission report and now a donation gimmick…wake up Bhutan and realise.”

It also tweeted that the pay commission’s report on pay raise for PM and cabinet ministers was lower than the government’s pay revision report.

Bhutan Kuen-Nyam Party president Sonam Tobgay said, “There are large variations between the pay commission’s report vis-à-vis the government’s pay revision report.”

Meanwhile, Druk Nyamrup tshogpa’s interim president, (Dr) Tandin Dorji, said he appreciated the PM’s gesture.

Source: Kuenselonline

Trashi Yangtse Tshechu

The annual Tshechu in Trashi Yangtse drew a huge crowd this year compared to the past years. This is because the Tsechu was held for the first time in the new Dzong, accommodating the increasing number of people.

In the past the annual Tshechu was held in Dongdey Dzong, which used to be the old Trashiyangtse Dzong. Since Dongdey Dzong is about five kilometres away from the proper town, not many people could attend the Tsechu.

After completing the construction of the second Utse for the new Dzong, the Tshogdue decided to organise the Tshechu in the new Dzong. The decision was taken for the convenience of the public, according to officials.

Our reporter, Cheyche, said that the courtyard of the new Dzong is also more spacious than the old Dzong accommodating more devotees.

“It is more interesting to watch here compared to the old Dzong. People were not willing to come to the old Dzong to watch tshcehu. But here everyone is interested to come since there is lots of sitting space to watch the Tshechu,” said one of the local reidents, Neten.

According to some of the regulars, the number of people coming to witness has increased by almost thrice. “I also went to witness in the old Dzong and there were not many people. People were not willing to go to the old Dzong since there is no proper place to sit and watch Tshechu,” said Passang Tshering, a local resident.

Some of the people said that only Dzongkhag staff and monks would watch the Tshechu when organised at the old Dzong.

The monks and the Dzongkhag mask dancers performed various mask dances during the three-day tshechu. The Dzongkhag dancers and students from various schools performed cultural dances to entertain the crowd.

The Tshechu concluded with the unfurling of Guru Tshengay Thongdrol yesterday. The Tshechu was initiated in 1999.

Source: BBS

The Bangladesh Ambassador to Bhutan presented his credentials to His Majesty the King

The Ambassador designate was escorted to the Trashichhodzong in a traditional chipdrel procession. He was then ushered into the golden throne room where he presented his credentials to His Majesty. Following the presentation of his credentials, His Majesty the King granted an audience to Mr. Choudhury.

Prior to his current appointment, Ambassador Jishnu Roy Choudhury was the Director General and Additional Secretary in the Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He had previously served in different levels of field administration within Bangladesh and also in the Ministry of Finance.

Mr. Choudhury has M.Sc in Public Economic Management and Finance from Birmingham University in the UK.

Later in the afternoon, Mr. Choudhury also called on the Foreign Minister, Rinzin Dorje.

Source: BBS

Highest Tourist visiting Bhutan were Americans

American tourists dominated international arrivals last year, surpassing Japanese tourists who topped arrivals in 2012 .

Of the 52,798 international tourists, who visited the country last year, the highest were Americans, with about 6,927 visitors, a tentative arrival list by nationality show.

After the US, the other top source markets were China with about 4,764 tourists, Japan with about 4,015 and about 3,494 Thai tourists.

Americans continued to dominate international tourist arrivals until 2011. However, in 2012, for the first time, it was Japanese tourists that topped the market.

Tourist arrivals by nationality

Japanese tourists surpassing American tourists in 2012 was mainly attributed to Their Majesties’ visit to Japan in 2011, which generated “enormous” publicity, followed by Tourism Council of Bhutan’s (TCB) follow-up promotions in Japan.

Also, for the first time in four years, Chinese tourists surpassed Japanese tourists, emerging as the second top source market last year.

The country usually saw the highest arrivals from the US followed by Japan. In 2010, Germany saw an increase of about 42 percent in arrivals, overtaking the UK.

“During the same year, China represented a promising new market and was rated among the top five major markets for the first time with an increase of about 30 percent over 2009,” the tourism monitor stated.

In 2011, China emerged as the third top source markets with 2,896 visitors, records with Tourism Council show. During the same year, Thailand stood fifth among the top source markets with 2,235 visitors.

While arrival figures from top source markets were important, the tourism monitor stated that measuring source markets based on duration of stay was a valuable indicator. “Yield and revenue are linked to the duration of stay,” the monitor stated.

Despite the increase in arrivals from neighbouring Asian countries, Tourism Council records indicated that tourists from US always visited for a longer period, contributing to higher revenue, followed by countries like the UK and Germany.

After dominating the top source market for a long time, the US dropped to the second in 2012, followed by Chinese, Thai and British tourists. That year, the country recorded 105,407 international and regional tourists.

“A record increase in the top Asian markets like Japan, China, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia propelled the Asia/Pacific region to be the dominating market region in the world,” the 2012 tourism monitor stated.

The increase in arrivals from neighbouring Asian countries, tour operators, said was an advantage for tourism industry, considering the effort towards promoting the country as a all year-round tourist destination.

A majority of Asians, tour operators said, travelled during summer months to escape the heat. “So that’s when we have to package tours and market accordingly to attract Asian tourists and so far, our efforts have paid off,” a tour operator said.

Last year, 116,224 international and regional tourists visited the country, an increase by about 10 percent or 10,810 tourists from the previous year.

Of the total arrivals, 44,267 were international or Dollar paying tourists, 8,531 under international business, while the rest 63,426 were regional tourists.

Source: Kuenselonline

Second friendly match for Sikkim United in Bhutan

It ended in a tie, 1-1, this second friendly match for Sikkim United against a second local football club, Zimdra yesterday at Changlimithang stadium.Watch hightlights

The Indian league team played its first match last week against Drukpol that ended 4-4.

For team Zimdra, who claimed to have inexperienced players and lacked resource compared with Sikkim United whose players earn their living off the game, “yesterday’s draw felt like a massive victory”.

“Sikkim United being a club playing in the Indian league and having a good mixture of young experienced players from different places, we did not expect a draw,” team Zimdra manager Hishey Tshering said. “Having seen Sikkim United’s play against Drukpol, we predicted a draw or loss by a goal or two.”

Zimdra players were under pressure for most part of the match with Sikkim United’s experienced strikers dashing for a goal now and then, all of which its goalkeeper parried.

The first half ended without any goals for both teams.

Sikkim United had its chance to score and win the match in the 70th minute when on of its strikers’ shot on target was blocked by a Zimdra player’s hand in the D-area.

A penalty shoot out ensued with Zimdra goalie faced against one of Sikkim United’s best feet.

But the kick Sikkim United player let off directed towards the right side of the post was intercepted by Zimdra’s goalkeeper’s preempted dive.

It was a save.

That acted as stimulant for Zimdra players who went on the attack with renewed vigour, which paid off in the 77th minute of the game when Ngawang Dhendup, from the crowded D-area, sent the ball whooshing into Sikkim United’s post from top right corner.

It was not until the 82nd minute of the game that Sikkim United responded with an equaliser.

Its player, Linekar Machado, who timed his run to intercept a long pass one of his teammates sent between three Zimdra defenders, to face Zimdra goalkeeper, one-on-one.

All Machado had to do was kick the ball straight into the net through the right corner of the post as their opponent did into their post.

One goal each and that was it for the teams who still tried to break the tie during the extra two-minute time given to decide a winner through a sudden death playoff.

The stadium echoed with applauds in appreciation of an electrifying show the two teams put up.

Sikkim United coach Nathan Hall said Drukpol had weakness in ball possession while under pressure, but Zimdra players, physically robust, as they were, to his surprise he said controlled the ball pretty well.

“Converting on opportunities is something my team have failed against Indian league teams,” he said. “It’s the same situation here.”

Today Sikkim United will play their last match against Yeedzin.

Their star player, Baichung Bhutia is expected to play for at least 30 minutes of the game that starts at 4:30pm.

Source: Kuenselonline