News: Bhutan cane and bamboo exhibition wrapped up

Cane and bamboo exhibition

Rinchen Wangchuk and Tshering Lham, who were in the capital recently, were all smiles yesterday as the two-day cane and bamboo exhibition wrapped up.

The artisan couple from Zhemgang, representing their fellow artisans, had not only marketed bamboo products but also sold about Nu 50,000 worth of the same.

“We’re very grateful to the government for providing us this opportunity to display our products and find potential buyers,” said Rinchen, adding that back home, the market being small, it was really difficult to sell their products, the only means to meet their food, health and children’s education needs.

“Till now our monthly income was about Nu 7,000 per month and we’re only able to break even. But, now, we hope things will change.” Just to sell their products at their local market in Zhemgang, they have to walk almost three days from their village.

Organised by department of industry (DoI), with funds from UNDP and technical assistance from SNV, there were other artisans from Trashigang and Mongar with similar objectives. “Such exhibitions also help artisans to showcase their talents,” said a DOI official.

Craft items, encompassing an array of cane and bamboo products, included not only traditional products like bangchung, zem and tser dhop, but also modern products such as cane wine holder, tser tissue box, penholder, bamboo tray and hangers, etc. Live demonstrations of various craft work were also presented.

SNV’s Galey Tenzin said that prices of bamboo products are set to come down by almost 20-30 percent in future. He added that, through the technical assistance they provide, bamboo artisans are encouraged into group-based business and also made aware of proper price fixation of their products. Earlier, prices were mostly fixed through guesswork.

“We’re encouraging artisans to use bamboo rather than cane, because cane has become scarce with extensive and unsuitable use in the past, which has even led to a sharp decline in production,” he said. “With most communities far from the road point, motivation is much needed for the artisans.”

Pema Letho, 24, from Mongar, said that assistance from various organisations in developing their skills and training them to make new products has really benefited in improving living standards and provided opportunities for others to take the path too.

Source: Kuenselonline

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