East or West, We are one – All Bhutanese

“The highest poverty rates continue to be Lhuntse, Pemagatshel, Dagana, Samdrup Jongkhar and Samtse. Although these dzongkhags are home to only one quarter of the population, nearly half of the poorest Bhutanese people live there”  (From Kuensel).

When people in so called urbanized part of the country has more than enough, the far-flung villages in the country are still looking for their square meal. Forget about the luxurious life, they are not in the position to meet their day’s end. Whosoever is making the policy, never be proud, for the country still has a great lot gap in regional development.

When the core Thimphu city hardly has a safe place for one’s foot, road in Lhuntse hardly finds a vehicles plying; when it is very confusing to locate for a particular office in Thimphu, the same is as good as visiting the neighbor next door in Lhuntse.

The western part of the country is benefited with various developmental activities and industrialization. People have easy access to market for buy and sell. The basic amenities provided in this region are far more conducive. There are more than what people actually needed. My goodness! Four lane roads in the core capital city and well maintained. Do we have same road conditions in other parts of the kingdom? The answer is definite. NO.

The major developmental policy is always framed to the mainstream economic zone. Most of the institutions, offices, industries and factories are located in the western part of the country. Seemingly, there is a less attention being paid other dzongkhags.

Balanced regional development has been talk of our policy makers for long. We have heard so many of the talks and seen little been done in action. When Thimphu city has well paved road, most of the people in the rural parts of our country are using bumpy road. When Thimphu has 4G facilities, some of the rural communities are not able to get efficient mobile network. We boast of having cent percent connectivity with cellular phone but what is the use if the network provided is not efficient and useable?

If there is balanced regional development, am I in the position to name any industry that is backbone of the economy of Dagana, Lhuntse and Zhemgang apart from agriculture? Do these dzongkhags have any tertiary institutions? Or any regional offices?

These dzongkhags are distanced from the mainstream economy. People do not have proper market to sell their produce. They only cultivate for their own consumption. And the products are being shared with the wildlife. The produces depend on how kind the natural disasters are. Our people are less educated about the need for diversity. So when one crop fails, there is a total destruction. Thus, poverty.

…will be continued…

In the Land of Gross National Happiness…

…Where is Your Home?

I am not against the philosophy of GNH but I want our people realize that we need to do so many things to make the ideals of GNH come true to prove to the world that GNH is achievable.

 

The “Kingdom of heaven” is a condition of the heart – not something that comes “above the earth” or “after death.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

Bhutan is famous for its developmental concept of the Gross National Happiness. The dynamic leaders of this tiny Himalayan kingdom emphasize on the happiness-oriented growth. Any developmental activities should ultimately lead to happiness of the people, if I am not mistaken. Thus, the ultimate product of the developmental activities should be ‘HAPPINESS’ of the people. How wholesome this concept is! Plato is, indeed, living in Bhutan. Thomas Moore’s Utopia will come true if the concept of Gross National Happiness is achieved cent percent. Will this come in reality? Did Bhutan government ever realized that every developmental activities come at the cost of the livelihoods of innocent and poor farmers?

In the kingdom where happiness is placed at the top, there are many lapses. There are chasms to be bridged, unturned stones to be turned and darkened places to be illuminated. Nothing is so concerning than the disadvantaged and vulnerable people. Happiness kingdom is adorned with homeless people, wandering and feeding on rubbish for their survival. There is a need for Bhutanese people to rethink some of our actions if we are truly going to live by the ideals of Gross National Happiness. For a nation to be happy, the root is individual happiness. There are many disadvantaged people who are not able to meet the day’s end.

On December 9, 2012, I was heading homeward from college for my winter vacation. I with some of my friends arrived at Mongar at around 7:30pm and I still had more than 40kms to reach my destination. So we took lodging at Newlee Hotel. The hotel isn’t that customer friendly or economically beneficial. Neither the hotel is clean nor warm blankets in the room. In the dearth need of shelter, something is always better than nothing.

After having had dinner in the same hotel, I took a short walk towards what so called ‘Helipad’ of Mongar. To my surprise I saw some sort of shed made for hounds. I went closer and with the help of dim light of my mobile, I took a look. It was not a home for hounds as I deemed it to be but there was a man inside. Another thought rushed in me. The public ground of Mongar is well decorated with colourful tents and flags. I thought that there might be some religious sermons in process, and the person in the shed might be some devotees who had come from a very long distance for the sermon. My thoughts were further strengthened when I saw a symbolic ritual cake. 

The very next morning I again took short walk towards the same place. This time was not exactly a walk. I just went to find a decent place to attend the call of nature in the nature, for toilet in the hotel is awfully horrible. The same ramshackle that I deemed to be the temporary hut of the devotees is owned by a mentally challenged person. What a surprise! There are a few bottles filled with dirty water. There is no remains of food. The blankets he had been using are all torn. This shackle had been his home.

The person living in the shed is mentally challenged. I have had seen him for several times. Whenever I visited Mongar, I can see the same man in the same shed. He is seen in the town begging for foods and eating from the dirty plastics from the dustbins. There is a question of safety of his health. He is sufferer in the land of GNH.

Recently the national newspaper ‘Kuensel’ featured that man in one of the publications. The government might have eyed the story. The government might have thought for the resolution to serve the disadvantaged and the vulnerable.

 

At one time, I was in Konbar village in Mongar. There too I saw two old aged people living in a hut. The hut can hardly bear the pressure of wind and rain. Their children had locked the newly constructed house and gone with their so-called faithful wives. The couple has hardly anything to survive with. The husband who could be in his 70s is visually impaired and the wife who could most probably be in 70s cannot walk properly. However, she is the guide. I felt very pity on these old parents. All I had in my bag was a few packets of Maggi. I gave it to them. And in return the wife said, “Lopon kadrinchey wana. Sho nang phiwa. Tsi nyai aie dabu mangi wa drakpu thur an cholay ga moelam chana.” Her words brought tears to my eyes.

The life of the old couple is very miserable. They might be waiting for the last day to come. Only these two people will know what truly dead is. It can be solace to their endless sufferings. People might blame their kismet for their sufferings, yet there are so many things that we can do to improve the livelihoods of those disadvantaged.

The aforementioned is a few of the many such incidences. The above two incidents show how our people are suffering in the land of GNH. Former has homed in ramshackle and the later has home no better than cave. When we have so many people suffering in our land, let’s forget propagating the philosophy of GNH to outside Bhutan. We have to make it happen in our own land. We should create concrete ideals so that outsiders can believe and appreciate the philosophy. Let us not fancy the lofty buildings in the cities, let’s not fancy the luxurious SUVs, and let us stop dreaming to help poor people in other nations. Let us start doing from our own land. Let us give to the disadvantaged. Let us build shelter for the needy ones.

Food Sufficiency vs. Food Price in the Local Market

The primary objectives of the 11^th five year plan is to achieve food self-sufficiency especially cereal and dairy products. This is a great move the government is taking and placing forth the people of the young democratic Bhutan. Attainment of such noble goal will not only reduce our imports of producible from the neighboring countries but also is a signaling of the attainment of self-reliance.

Food self-sufficiency has its own drawbacks in our country. Local produces are sold at huge price. Take an example of local rice at vegetable market. A kilo of rice is costing not less than Nu. 100. A ball of cheese is priced at Nu. 25 to 30. Everything local has high price tag. Local produces are seemingly meant for the elite and able ones. The local produce is not meant for layman and those employed with minimal income. Are they not Bhutanese people?

The government is trying every possible ways and means to achieve food self-sufficiency in the country. From mechanization of the farming to setting up of the market, farmers are placed at the top. So much has done to improve the agricultural productivity in the local communities but less is being done to regulate the price in the market. The concerned authorities have a great concern of the rural prosperity but seemingly seemed to have less concern about the urban poor.

If such is the condition in the near future, the consumers of the locally produce can determine one’s class. The elites and the well-to-do middle class people will be able to enjoy so called organically produced and the less privileged has to live with the same imported so called inorganic produce from the neighboring states.

Will people with lesser income be able to pay Nu.25 for a bunch of sag? The bunch of so big that it is not able to feed the whole family a meal. Remember that we need to have three meals a day. Excluding the ingredients in the curry, for a day we need to spend Nu.75 a day and Nu.2250 a month (if a person consumes sag only).

We are fond of talking and advocating GNH. How can there be happiness at the national level if people are at the mercy of skipping their meals because of the soaring market price? Are local produces not meant for local people?

Economic Development Policy of 2010 point outs the need to have Brand Bhutan. Is Brand Bhutan merely about price? I think that is not true. Our politicians, beauracrates and policy-makers are paving road to World Trade Organization. The goods and services produced by the other countries are entering the market at reasonable price. Will our products which are sealed at high cost gain market momentum in the global market? Today we have vegetable markets mostly filled with imported vegetables from the neighboring states. Take an example of Thimphu Centennial Farmers’ Market. Buyers mostly folk to ground floor where the imported vegetables are sold at fairly reasonable price.

I am not an Agricultural Economist. I am not expert at the cost involved with the local produce. Cost of production may be high but the price tagged with the produce is much higher in the eye of the buyers. Even higher when people brand it as an organic.

Let us not play the game of electricity export with locally produced food items. Lets’ stop exporting the produce to the neighboring states and later import the same. This will not indicate we are sufficient in food production but fools. We export food items from our country at somewhat low price and then import the same at a higher price.

At present, Bhutan is too much dependent on energy. We boast of being exporter of the hydropower. A huge investment is being made on the development of the hydro projects. A huge number of Bhutanese people are driving and willing to drive autos. And a huge expenditure is being made to keep these autos on the road running by importing fuels and spare parts. Energy exported is thus made energy imported. Petrol, diesel, kerosene and LPG are all routed from India. What is meaning with Bhutanese trade?

When we have here, Why look for others?

I may not be entirely right to write the following but I am penning what I feel and what is right in me. I can be hanged for writing this. I did not do any crime. This is a mere freedom of expression utilized by layman and lowly educated. Bear the wrongs, highlight the mistakes with your wisdom. I salute your rightness for I am a mere wanderer lost in the desert.

Italy had Florence Nightingale who did godly service to the soldiers of the Crimean war of 1854. She treated the wounded soldiers from both the sides. She pioneered nursing. That was the service of priceless human being to the humanity with selflessness.

Bhutan had our own. We still have. Dr. Lotay Tshering, a noble man. Capable, indeed. A man with unfathomable knowledge. A man that saved so many lives. A man that serves the nation with utmost dedication. And the list is endless.

When Dr. Lotay Tshering, a urologist with the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital declared his intent to join politics, the Royal Civil Service Commission had the gut to slapped a Bhutanese citizen with Nu.62 lakhs for he went against the law of the land. Dr. Lotay did not do any crime worth that much amount. For past 12 years, he was with the Ministry of Health treating the dying patients. At last, an acknowledgment for his selfless service was having to pay a lump sum amount to the government. He was directly or indirectly forced to resign from the service.

Aftermath of his resignation, the national referral hospital had to refer several patients to India for gallstone and other kidney related surgery. The government must have spent a huge amount to refer patients abroad. There was no competent person to replace HIM.

There are so many questions flickering in my mind. I do not have clear-cut reason why Dr. Lotay got such a cruel reward. Is it a meritorious award for him by RCSC? Did Dr. Lotay committed a big crime by declaring his interest to join the politics? Joining politics is his fundamental rights. Was he not allowed to exercise his rights? Nowhere in the Constitution there is an article stating that health specialist should refrain joining politics. If He is treated with such, then what about those civil servant who goes on corrupting the country every day? What about those civil servant who do not do anything in the office and receives same amount of salary at end of the month? What about those civil servants who claim a huge amount of TA/DA bill without travelling away from the threshold of their office? What about those civil servants who always drink and come to office? What about those civil servants who gamble in the office with the door locked from outside? Is there justice in the system?

I am flabbergasted when RCSC issued warning letter to Dr. Lotay Tshering. When we are advertising and looking for medics from other countries to join our Health Ministry to curve the shortage of medics, why did the commission slapped him with aforementioned amount? Did RCSC ever heard that there are some doctors in the country who are mistreating the patients? Did they issued same warning letter and amount they are liable to pay to those doctors? Dr. Lotay Tshering is one of the rarest of the rare doctor who is entirely dedicated to his profession and does his duty dutifully. There is something wrong with our system.  Why are we looking for the medical specialists outside when we are not able to treat our own professionals heartily? We have qualified and well-versed specialist. We have right here.

I was reading the KuenselOnline news article when I saw Dr. Lotay making voluntary contribution. He is still serving the needy ones with surgery camps. More than 400 patients availed surgery services from Dr. Lotay after he resigned from the service. Isn’t he a noble person – a God disguised in human beings to safeguard humankind? Doesn’t he deserve a better reward than the previous one?

The Health Ministry wants him back but whether or not to join the ministry is his choice. And it should be. He is not an animal who goes away when people chases out and comes back when they want. He was chased away by the concerned authorities making him to pay a colossal amount. If he join the Ministry again, won’t he be getting the same ill treatment again?

Who could have come back to render volunteer service after the authorities penalized him/her? Will you and I? The answer will be big NO. But the Urologist did. He did for the greater cause. SALUTE HIM. HE DESERVES IT. We have exemplary citizen. Do not look in other countries for examples of patriotic citizen. We have right here.

Today, Dr. Lotay is serving the people. His voluntary contribution should be looked at as an example. This is more than the natural responsibility. He is making best use of his acquired knowledge. Many lives are being saved by his generous effort. A huge chunk of government’s money is saved. He is, indeed, a true Bhutanese. MAY HIS CONTRIBUTION BE ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE CONCERNED AUTHORITIES.

MAY THY SERVITUDE TO THE PEOPLE BE BENEDICTION,

A GEM THAT WILL ACCOMPLISH THE UNACCOMPLISHED,

A DREAM THAT COMES TO REALITY

RENDERING A NEW HOPE, A NEW DREAM, A NEW LIFE.

FOR THY SERVICE, I SALUTE THEE.

You Are What You Are

When happiness is within, do not search in others. It is sheer wastage of time and energy. Do not blame yourself for not being able to do what others can do. Those who can do what you can’t cannot do what you can. Every person has different talents. Do not feel yourself in a poverty stricken state. The rich is surrounded by anxiety, fear, debt, worries, lies, deceptions, corruptions and the list goes on. You are champion of your life. You should be what you are, not what external environment forces you to be. If so, then you are imprisoned. You most probably do not want to be suppressed, but you will be if you change your personality. If you think your life is full of barriers, then do not look at others who seem to have swift life. Do not look back to the past and lament the joyful days of bygone time. Think how you can enjoy your life in the times to come. Do not close your book too quickly. You do not know what lies there in the very next page until you turn the page and read it. Life is always suspense.

                                    Sherub Phuntsho

མི་ཚེ་དོན་དང་ལྡན་པར་བཟོ།

དལ་བརྒྱད་འབྱོར་བཅུ་ཚང་བའི་ལུས་རྟེན་འདི།།

ལན་གཅིག་གྲུ་ཆེན་ཐོབ་བཞིན་རྙེད་དུས་འདིར།།

སྟོང་ལོག་མ་བཏང་ཕན་པའི་ལས་ལ་བརྩོན།།

སེམས་ཅན་ཐམས་ཅད་ཕ་མ་ཡིན་ཤེས་ནས།།

དེ་ལ་སྲོག་གཅོད་མ་བྱེད་བྱམས་སྙིང་བསྐྱེད།།

རང་ལ་ཕན་རྟག་བྱེད་པའི་གང་ཟག་ལ།།

དྲིན་ཡོད་བསམ་ཤིང་གོང་དུ་བསྐུར་བར་བྱ།།

རང་ལ་བསམ་ངན་བསྐྱེད་པའི་དགྲ་བའོ་རྣམས།།

ཁོང་ཁྲོ་ཞེ་སྡང་ཁྲག་དོག་མ་བསྐྱེད་ཅི།།

དེ་ལ་བཟོད་སེམས་བསྐྱེད་ནས་ལེགས་པར་བྱ།།

རང་གིས་བྱེད་པའི་ལས་ལ་རྟག་ཤིང་བྱ།།

སྐྱོན་ཡོད་ཤེས་ནས་ལེགས་བཅོས་བྱེད་པར་ཤེས།།

བྱ་བ་མ་གྲུབ་སྔོན་ལ་བསམ་བློ་བཏང་།།

དུས་ཚོད་གསེར་བ་རྙེད་པ་དཀའ་ཤེས་ནས།།

འཕྲོ་ལོག་མ་བཏང་ཕན་པའི་ལས་ལ་བརྩོན།།

བདག་གིས་བཤད་པའི་ལོ་རྒྱུས་ཅུང་ཟད་ལ།།

ཤེས་རབ་མ་ལྡན་སྐྱོན་ཡོད་བདག་གིས་བསམ།།

ཡིན་ཀྱང་བློ་རིག་ལྡན་པའི་མཁྱེན་ལྡན་གྱིས།།

སྣང་མེད་མ་བསྐྱེད་སྐྱོན་ལ་ཡོན་ཏན་བྱེད།། །།