BCCB: Bhutan Celebrate 100 years of Cricket

Thimphu School Joins Catch The Spirit Celebration
(Photograph: BCCB)

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Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan, celebrating the 100 Years of Cricket with the School Tournament for class 5 & 6 boys started on the 11th of April 2009 with Bhutan Cricket Council Board joining the ICC in celebrating and hosting the *Catch the Spirit* event with it.

Student of Bhutan participating in 100 years of cricket with "Catch The Spirit"

The Celebration took place in Changlimithang Ground, the National stadium of Bhutan, where Both Team Captains and Umpires Joins with the *Catch The Spirit* Banner. This year was an important year for all the Cricketing World as ICC Celebrates it’s Centenary of Cricket (100 Years). Also this is the first tournament of the year 2009.

News: Bhutan Today - Responsibilities and functions of the Geog Administrative Officer

The Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley said there is some confusion regarding the responsibilities and functions of the Geog Administrative Officer (GAO). He was talking to the Bhutanese media at a news conference which was also attended by the cabinet ministers yesterday.

The meeting was organized to mark the completion of one year in office by the first democratically elected government.

More than 100 journalists attended the conference at the royal banquet hall in the capital. They questioned the Prime Minister and the cabinet ministers on various issues from local governance and the role of the GAO, Christians in Bhutan, democracy, the role of DHI, RCSC, and the GNH Commission to tax on import of cars, allowance for private medical students, the morale of teachers and whether the government will allow people to purchase the TATA Nano car.

On local governance, the Prime Minister said the responsibilities, functions, and accountability of the GAO has not been clearly defined.

He said the GAO is an administrative officer and he is the person who provides administrative support to the Gup.

He said the issue concerning local governance, its function as well as the position of the geog administrative officers will be discussed during the meeting of the chairpersons of local government.

Source: BBS

News: Bhutan Today - Bamboos dying in large numbers

Bamboos dying in large numbers on the hills of Jarey gewog in Lhuentse worry villagers, who depend on the plant for roofing and other domestic purposes. About 150 houses in the gewog with 221 households have bamboo roofing, while others use bamboo to roof animal sheds and make products for domestic use.

“Most houses in the gewog have not changed their roofs over three years,” said a villager, Ugyenmo, 66. Normally, villagers redo their roofing once every two years. “The roof is leaking and my house is rotting but we can’t do anything. There’s no bamboo in the forest and we don’t have money to buy other types of roofing,” said Ugyenmo, who lives with her daughter and three grandchildren. She owns a big two-storied traditional house, but the roof has been he same for the last six years.

Villagers have started penetrating into deeper forests, but say there are not many bamboos around. “Whatever’s available is very far and difficult to transport,” said another villager. “We’ve started scaling the other side of Jarey hill in the hope of finding bamboos to re-roof our houses before monsoon sets in.”

Their condition was exacerbated by the recent windstorm in the east that affected Jarey gewog too. About 18 households lost their roofs when the storm hit the gewog on March 18. Villagers said that most of the bamboo used for roofing was damaged and would leak if used again. “We’re really desperate now. The insurance benefits won’t be enough to help us buy CGI sheets or plastic and there’s no bamboo around here,” said a villager, Tenzinla.

Elders in the village said that they have never faced such problems in the past. However, some said they heard that bamboo died after over a hundred years. “This could be what’s happening to our bamboo. It’s a natural thing that we can’t help,” said the gup, Tshering Minjur.

The only hope of the poor villagers is the Thrumshingla park. The gewog is part of the park and two villages of the gewog have been already been issued CGI sheets by the park office. Park officials earlier told gewog officials that they were seeking funds from donors to provide the villagers with CGI sheets.

Until then they will have to bear the rain and the wind.

Source: Kuenselonline

News: Bhutan Today - Paro Tshechu

The Paro Tshechu, one of the most popular festivals in the kingdom, has begun. Every year it attracts thousands of tourists from across the world. But this year, because of the global economic crisis, the festival is seeing a sharp drop in number of tourists. The slump has not only affected tour operators but also hoteliers and resort owners in Paro.

Thousands of people throng the Deyangkha ground as the Paro Tshechu begins. Usually there will be as many camera totting tourists in the Tshechu ground as people from Paro, Thimphu and other neighbouring dzongkhags. This year, there aren’t as many tourists.

The Tshechu is an important occasion for the people. Apart from the religious and cultural significance, the festival is an important social occasion. For the elderly, coming to the Tshechu is an act of devotion. The young come here to socialize and generally have a nice time. It is also an occasion to flaunt the sesho ghos and kiras. The fairer sex come bedecked with jewelry.

The Paro Tshechu attracts thousands of tourists from across the world. But this year, the situation is quite different. In the Dey-yang-kha ground, there aren’t as many tourists jostling among the crowd as they try and focus their cameras on the mask dancers or the atsaras joking with the people. The sitting gallery is mostly occupied by Bhutanese.

The Dzongkhag Administration Officer Tshewang Dorji has been coordinating the festival for the last few years. He told BBS that compared to the past years, tourist arrival at the Tsechu this year is minimal.

The economic slump has also hit hotels and resorts in Paro. There are over 40 resorts and hotels in Paro. Most of them remain packed during the Tshechu season. But this year, most of the proprietors and managers have the same story to share. Most of the rooms are lying vacant.

Tour operators, hoteliers, and resort owners are all reeling from the global economic crisis. For them, the Paro Tshechu this year will not be as festive as the previous years or as lucrative.

The Tshechu will end with the unfurling of Guru Thongdrel in the wee hours of Thursday morning.

Source :BBS

News: Bhutan Today - Royal Marriag

Her Royal Highness Princess Ashi Sonam Dechan Wangchuck was married to Dasho Phub Dorji

Her Royal Highness Princess Ashi Sonam Dechan Wangchuck was married to Dasho Phub Dorji at the Mothithang palace today.

The Tendrel ceremony of the Royal wedding today was performed by His Holiness Gyalse Trulku. His Majesty the King, His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo, Her Majesty the Royal Grand Mother, Their Majesties the Queen Mothers and members of the royal family attended the ceremony.

Her Royal Highness Ashi Sonam Dechan Wangchuck graduated from Harvard Law School with an LLM in 2007 and started work at the High Court of Bhutan. Her Royal Highness has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University in the US. Her Royal Highness interned with a highly reputed legal firm in San Francisco and returned to Bhutan to complete the Post Graduate Diploma in National Law.

Dasho Phub Dorji has a Masters degree in Public Policy from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. and Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Economics from George Washington University. He topped the 2004 civil service examinations and currently works in the Finance Ministry.

After the marriage ceremony, His Majesty the King, His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo, Her Majesty the Royal Grand Mother, Their Majesties the Queen Mothers, other royal family members and well-wishers offered Tashi Khadhar.

Source: BBS