Archives
Category: Winter Edition
Winter Edition ,
December 8th, 2018
By Yangchen Tshogyel
A few months after the launch of the Priority Sector Lending (PSL) initiative on 1 January 2018, the Governor of the Royal Monetary Authority (RMA) received a cry for help from a PSL client, 24-year-old Sangay Gempo. Sangay, who had completed his BBA in India in 2016, had returned...
Winter Edition ,
December 8th, 2018
By Tashi Dema
There are jobs, and there are people, and they need to be brought together. They need financial support. After learning about the mismatch of jobs that were available in the market, and the skills that technical graduates possess, a fibre optic specialist at Bhutan Telecom left his comfort zone...
Winter Edition ,
December 8th, 2018
By Pem Lama
Introduction In 2016, the Department of Cottage and Small Industries (DCSI) reported that only 35.53 percent of the total registered micro, small and medium enterprises in the country were owned by women. Women mostly operate cottage and small enterprises and function in the informal economy with very small probability...
Winter Edition ,
December 8th, 2018
By Dasho Kinley Dorji
Introduction To use a provocative pun, this article looks at the “real” Bhutan and “real people”. The writer believes that, beyond the snow clad peaks and lush valleys, rich biodiversity and spiritual monuments-all the wondrous things that we like to talk about-there are colours and flavours of a real...
Winter Edition ,
December 8th, 2018
By Dr Joseph Lo
Background and Introduction The focus in 2019’s Bhutan Economic Forum for Innovative Transformation (BEFIT) will be on Bhutan’s small and medium enterprise sector (SMEs), also known locally as the cottage and small industries (CSI) sector. The aim of the forum is to review the Cottage, Small and Medium Industry...
Winter Edition ,
December 8th, 2018
By Gopilal Acharya
Across the world, cultural export, through film and music, had always been used by governments to create a positive image of their countries. For decades westerners knew about Thailand from the old musical, The King and I. James Hilton’s Lost Horizon built the image of Shangrila as the world...
Winter Edition ,
December 8th, 2018
By Ugyen Penjore
Introduction The purpose of transport is the movement of people and goods. It is critical for Bhutan’s economic development, like tourism, which should include scenic drives and cultural tours and treks. The effort to diversify the economy by encouraging Cottage and Small Industries (CSIs) also faces a major problem...
Winter Edition ,
December 8th, 2018
By Siok Sian Pek-Dorji
A High Value Low Impact Dilemma For international tourists, Bhutan has long been a much sought after “global hotspot”, a rare destination. A veteran American tour operator who has been a promoter of high-end tours to Bhutan since the 1980s, now disagrees: “Bhutan used to be a high value,...
Winter Edition ,
December 8th, 2018
By Adrian Von Bernstorff, Hannes Lorenzen
State of Play: Farming and Food Security in Bhutan Bhutan’s ambition to become wholly organic has drawn much attention among experts and policy makers worldwide. Conventional farming practices are increasingly facing scrutiny, especially in the light of climate change, shrinking wild habitats and agricultural biodiversity, reduced soil fertility, and...
Winter Edition ,
December 7th, 2018
By Tshering Dorji
“Our nation has seen great socio-economic growth but it is more important that we have growth with equity. We must raise, with all our effort, the less fortunate so that they may, at the earliest, begin to partake in the opportunities brought by modernisation and progress.” His Majesty The...
Winter Edition ,
December 7th, 2018
By Yoichiro Ishihara
Financing for Development Investment is key for high and sustainable growth. The Commission on Growth and Development1 concluded that high levels of investment (25 percent of GDP and above) are needed for strong and sustained growth.2 Investment requires financing from domestic and foreign savings. In Bhutan, investment as a...
Winter Edition ,
December 7th, 2018
By Karma Loday
Fiscal Incentives Bhutan, like all developing countries, offers fiscal incentive packages that reduce direct as well as indirect taxes in various forms of tax incentives and exemptions, like general exemptions and sector-specific exemptions, with the intention of attracting investors and fostering economic growth. Fiscal incentive means slashing taxes legally...
Winter Edition ,
December 7th, 2018
By Dr Tshering Cigay Dorji
The so-called Industrial Revolution 4.0 has arrived and it is being driven by advances in technology, such as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, blockchain, virtual reality, augmented reality, 3D printing, robots and drones. The trend shows that we will be able to create systems and robots which are as...
Winter Edition ,
December 7th, 2018
By Ram Bahadur Gurung, Jigme Tenzin
Defining Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship is the act of being an entrepreneur, which is a French word meaning “to undertake”. Entrepreneurs find resources and apply innovation, finance and business acumen to transform innovation into economic goods. This may result in new organisations, or it may revitalise mature organisations to seize a...
Winter Edition ,
December 7th, 2018
By Wee Tan Yeong
Past — What and Why? Whilst 4,500km apart, from Tashichho Dzong in Thimphu to Parliament House in Singapore, the Land of Thunder Dragon and the Lion City are both small countries sandwiched between the geopolitical realities of large neighbours (one landlocked, one sea-locked; one known for prosperity, one for...
Winter Edition ,
December 7th, 2018
By Thibault Danjou, Sonam Tashi
Introduction The current rise of populism in many countries is a clear sign that many people are not happy with their lives. They want a better and happier life but successive governments have failed to meet their expectations. Will populist governments succeed to meet their expectations? Most likely not,...
Winter Edition ,
December 6th, 2018
By Gopal Giri
Path of Economic Progress in Bhutan: Retrospection Our development philosophy has never considered economic growth as an end in itself, nor has it been viewed as a panacea for any ills that may threaten the holistic socio-economic progress of the country and well-being of its people. It is nevertheless...
Winter Edition ,
December 6th, 2018
By Mark Mancall
A group of people found themselves at the intersection of many paths, deep in a valley named “Economy”. After a night spent in pursuit of delights other than the knowledge that derived from study, or the Enlightenment that may result from meditation, they looked around and saw many signs...
Winter Edition ,
December 6th, 2018
By The Druk Journal
With the theme “Transforming the Bhutanese Economy” this issue of The Druk Journal will be a comprehensive analysis of Bhutan’s economic aspirations, policies, and realities. In the absence of adequate thinking and discourse in the formulation of our national economic vision we will take a macro economics perspective to...
Winter Edition ,
December 4th, 2017
By The Druk Journal
The theme for this issue of The Druk Journal, “civil society”, is a critical element of democratic governance. It is an active sphere where civil society organisations (CSOs), non-government organisations (NGOs), and groups work in areas of common interest. This could include areas where the government’s impact is limited...
Winter Edition ,
December 4th, 2017
By Bjørn Førde
Introduction Towards the end of the 1990s, the Administrator of UNDP decided to establish a “civil society advisory committee” with members representing the global civil society community. This was a wise and timely decision, considering how important civil society organisations (CSOs) had become in the field of development cooperation....
Winter Edition ,
December 4th, 2017
By Dr Karma Phuntsho
The Change Bhutan has been going through a tremendous transition in all aspects of life. I have often been reiterating that, in the gap of half a century, the country has moved economically from subsistence farming to a consummerist market economy, socially from a totally rural country to a...
Winter Edition ,
December 4th, 2017
By Dr Sonam Chuki
Traditional Self-help Mechanism Traditional agrarian Bhutanese society relied on locally available self-help mechanisms to address various societal challenges. There were none of the registered civil society organisations (CSOs) which exist today. People relied on naturally formed systems that were based on local needs at the grassroots level in the...
Winter Edition ,
December 4th, 2017
By Lam Dorji
Given that civil society is generally understood as the total space outside the domain of the government and private sectors in which civilians act collectively to pursue common interests, there is no denying that civil society in Bhutan existed long before we even knew what civil society actually meant....
Winter Edition ,
December 4th, 2017
By Dasho Paljor J. Dorji
An Interview with Dasho Paljor J. Dorji, one of the pioneers of NYAB The Druk Journal: How did the idea of starting the first non-governmental organisation, the National Youth Association of Bhutan (NYAB), come about? Dasho Paljor J. Dorji: We felt that the growing number of youth coming out...
Winter Edition ,
December 4th, 2017
By Siok Sian Pek-Dorji
Introduction The government of Bhutan has initiated a process to review the civil society organisation (CSO) rules and regulations, nearly eight years after the establishment of a formal registration system for CSOs. This is expected to provide a much-needed analysis of the direction and impact of civil society in...
Winter Edition ,
December 4th, 2017
By Dr Tashi Ronald Colman
Civil society refers to the web of interpersonal connections that includes community engagement, volunteer work, social support networks, and groups of people who get together to help each other and benefit society. These connections can be completely informal, encompassing people in the village helping out those who are sick,...
Winter Edition ,
December 4th, 2017
By Jean Lambert
Why Does the EU Want to Support Civil Society? During the visit to Bhutan of the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with countries of South Asia (DSAS) in May this year, we were delighted to help launch the EU’s Programme in support of civil society in Bhutan. This initiative...
Winter Edition ,
December 4th, 2017
By Rudolf Dannecker
HELVETAS Swiss Inter-cooperation and civil society A Few General Considerations What is civil society? It is not easy to define as the term is rather vague and there is no clear definition. Basically it is a large space between the State and private households. This means that civil society...
Winter Edition ,
December 4th, 2017
By Samuel E. Bonilla Bogaert
The role of civil society is not isolated from the role of politics. Politics defines the kind of society each nation cultivates. If we agree that nations around the world see democracy as the most desirable among the different forms of government known to man, then, should the conversation...
Winter Edition ,
December 4th, 2017
By Gagan Sethi
While the term civil society originated in ancient Rome and Greece – it is more or less a direct translation from Cicero’s “societas civilas” and Aristotle’s “koinōnia politikē”. As times changed, the term began to be used differently. In Europe, “civil society” came to refer to civil government and...
Winter Edition ,
December 4th, 2017
By Dr Bruce Bunting
The Druk Journal: What are the areas that international donors are interested in? Dr Bruce Bunting: I am not really clued into international donors these days, but I feel in the US support for good governance, growth of democracy, support for cultural institutions in particular the arts, support for...
Winter Edition ,
December 4th, 2017
By Sriven Naidu
Summary Public, private, and civil society organisations form three separate sectors. When the sectors are bridged, many opportunities can be found. In this article, we focus on one such opportunity – making the most of the contributions individual corporate executives may make through cross-sector partnerships. A “Skills-based symbiosis” (SBS)...
Winter Edition ,
December 4th, 2017
By Dechen Dorji
Introduction Sustainable financing is one of the major challenges faced by many civil society organisations (CSO), particularly in developing countries where the need for CSO engagement is even greater. Although civil society vis-a-vis community participation is not a new concept in Bhutan, the prevailing western notion of non-governmental organisation...
Winter Edition ,
December 4th, 2017
By Saroj K. Nepal
By Saroj Nepal Over the centuries, Bhutanese living in remote mountaintop hamlets had to find a way to survive. They were compelled to cooperate and coexist with each other because rugged geography and underdevelopment made survival difficult. If it were not for the cooperation among villagers, it would not...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Editorial
Youth Matters The future of Bhutan lies in the hands of Bhutanese youth. Does it? At a recent Druk Journal Conversation one participant argued that the future is decided by today’s leaders who make the decisions that determine this future. And youth have no say in these decisions. However,...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Aniruddha Kulkarni
“The future of our nation depends on the worth, capabilities and motivation of today’s youth. Therefore, I will not rest until I have given you the inspiration, knowledge and skills so that you will not only fulfill your own aspirations but be of immense worth to the nation. This...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Tashi Choden
The endorsement of a National Youth Policy by the Lhengye Zhungtshog¹ and its official launch in December 2011 was an important milestone for the youth and people of Bhutan, as it signaled a promised move towards consolidating the quite vibrant but disjointed efforts related to youth in the country. Prior...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Chencho Lhamu
Introduction Disappointments with youth are aplenty. They range from concerns about their values and attitudes to viewing them as a group to be wary of as drug abusers and gangsters. These are common themes when the topic of youth comes up in formal and informal conversations. Employers find it...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Sonam Chuki
Who Was Ling Gesar? Ling Gesar was a Bodhisattva warrior King in the Kingdom of Ling in ancient eastern Tibet. Ling is an historical and idyllic place where Ling Gesar was born in 1038, an Earth Tiger Year. He is believed to be the “heart son” of Guru Rinpoche...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Karma Phuntsho
It was a grey evening in the summer of 2014. I was invited to an ad hoc meeting in the attic of a hotel in Thimphu. In the wake of the furor over the government’s initiative to start what it called “meat processing units”, and what its critics saw...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Gopilal Acharya
What is it that the young people in Bhutan aspire to? How do they perceive the world they live in? What is their pulse and plight? What are their dreams? Gopilal Acharya A Song With a Message A Saturday in October, 2015. I am driving my family to Phuenstholing...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Pema Tshomo
“…is the education our youth are receiving attuned to needs of the nation? And once educated, will our children find employment and realise their full potential?” – His Majesty the King of Bhutan (National Day, 2011) The Facts It is a well-established fact that education is one of the...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Riikka Suhonen
Introduction …government can’t solve all the problems, you know… Because if you look at Bhutan today… we have a lot of skilful, talented youths. I think it is very important that youth come together, they discuss, debate and if they can come up with a good solution… I think it is a...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Pem Lama
With more than half the Bhutanese population under the age of 25, youth play an important role in building Bhutan’s future. In almost every Royal address, His Majesty the King highlights the importance of youth in developing the country and carrying the torch forward. However, it is also very...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Aniruddha Kulkarni
The 2030 development agenda, popularly known as the Sustainable Development Agenda, includes a global commitment towards the elimination of all forms of violence against children. The world over, countries have made significant progress in enacting legislative provisions to protect children from violence. In Bhutan, the Constitution and progressive legislation...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Peky Samal
“We may not be able to prepare the future for our children, but we can at leastprepare our children for the future.” ...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Tim Huang
Democracy. Sexual and reproductive health. Crime prevention. Gender parity. Art. Environmental conservation. Substance abuse. Sports. Child protection. Sustainable development. LGBT rights. Civic engagement. Mental health. Employment. What do these topics have in common? They are all issues to which various youth groups in Bhutan are dedicated. With a majority...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Rabi Dahal
Today’s youth are drowning in a sea of Internet-fed information. And the increased amount of time young people spend on the Internet raises the question, “What do they do online?” Following trends in many other societies, Bhutanese parents complain that their children are “addicted” to the screen. There has...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Badruun Gardi and Anudari Dashdorj
Nomadic Mongol tribes have lived on the unforgiving steppes of Central Asia for centuries. Seasonal migrations in search of the best pastures for livestock underpin the Mongols’ nomadic lifestyle. Even today, one-third of all Mongolians are still nomadic herders living a lifestyle largely unchanged since the founding of the...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Julia Raavad
Danish youth play an important role in maintaining and nursing Danish democracy. This was underscored when the global report by the IEA International Civic and Citizenship Study identified Danish youth as the most democratic-minded among 38 nationalities¹. The study, in particular, praised Danish youth’s active citizenship skills and understanding...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Mina Kim and Yoonpyo Jeong
The Republic of Korea has been a vibrant country in more ways than one and its youth have always played an important role. In just a short time, only 50 years after the Korean War, the Republic of Korea has grown into a powerhouse that ranks 11th in the world economy...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Tshering Eudön
While Tshering Eudön bases her thought piece on her own experience with Facebook, the Druk Journal believes that it is relevant to all Bhutanese wading through the social media landscape. I am a Bhutanese student in my late 20s currently working towards a Masters degree in Public Administration (MPA)...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Tshewang Dendup
A few kilometres from the hustle and bustle of the cosmopolitan city that is Thimphu, in the anonymity and seclusion of an almost invisible location, Bhutan’s first-ever waste transfer station is coming up. The transfer station, on nearly one acre of land, will have magnets to pull metal objects...
Winter Edition ,
December 28th, 2016
By Tenzin Rabgye
Thrinlay Dorji, 29 years old, was born in Bartsham, Tashigang, and raised by his aunt and uncle in Thimphu. His life’s journey—from struggling young student to creative professional—is a story that is often by-passed in the expectations of most youth, most parents, and by society. It is a story...
Winter Edition ,
January 28th, 2016
By Aniruddha Kulkarni
“The future of our nation depends on the worth, capabilities and motivation of today’s youth. Therefore, I will not rest until I have given you the inspiration, knowledge and skills so that you will not only fulfill your own aspirations but be of immense worth to the nation. This...
Winter Edition ,
January 1st, 2016
By Tshering Eudön
While Tshering Eudön bases her thought piece on her own experience with Facebook, the Druk Journal believes that it is relevant to all Bhutanese wading through the social media landscape. I am a Bhutanese student in my late 20s currently working towards a Masters degree in Public Administration (MPA)...
Winter Edition ,
December 14th, 2015
By Mark Mancall
On April 13, 1655, Louis XIV, King of France (1638-1715), addressed the Parliament of Paris, famously declaring, ‘L’Etat, c’est moi (I am the state)’. It is also said that on his deathbed he declared, ‘I am going away, but the state will always remain’. The difference in these two...
Winter Edition ,
December 14th, 2015
By John Ardussi
History of Governing Institutions Before the Zhabdrung Rinpoche The governing institutions of any country are rooted in the founding principles and social history of its people. Prior to the country’s unification during the 17th century, Bhutan consisted of numerous independent communities of diverse origin. Governing institutions from that era...
Winter Edition ,
December 14th, 2015
By Nyingtob Pema Norbu
What are Institutions and Why Do They Matter? This year Bhutan was found eligible for graduation away from Least Developed Country (LDC) status, a group of 49 countries facing deep structural impediments to development. Its stellar performance in improving social outcomes and in raising average incomes provided the justification...
Winter Edition ,
December 14th, 2015
By Lhawang Ugyel
Introduction The changing role of public administration globally is often portrayed using the analogy of a boat. The functions of public officials have been associated with ‘rowing’ and ‘steering’ the boat.1 These two functions are reflective of the models of public administration. Rowing represents the hierarchy or the bureaucratic...
Winter Edition ,
December 14th, 2015
By Tashi Pem
Decentralisation to local government bodies, by definition, means that these bodies take on greater authority and responsibilities that are relevant to them and that were previously with the central government; in effect, becoming centres of authority themselves. Within the framework of the Local Government (LG) Act of Bhutan 2009,...
Winter Edition ,
December 13th, 2015
By Jagar Dorji
Introduction ‘One of the most important responsibilities of a king is to enable the people to govern and look after the country through the establishment of a dynamic political system’.1 This conviction had led their Majesties the Fourth and Fifth Kings to complete the change in political system by...
Winter Edition ,
December 13th, 2015
By Kinley Dorji
The Premise The premise of this article is that it is not the responsibility of the government but the responsibility of the Bhutanese state to coordinate all national institutions to ensure the functioning of Bhutanese society in a way that serves the populace. I interpret the functioning of society...
Winter Edition ,
December 13th, 2015
By Gembo Dorji
Bhutan is regarded as one of the last Buddhist countries where the Vajrayana tradition of Buddhism has flourished uninterrupted and undiluted since its arrival in the 7th century AD. Bhutanese culture, tradition, customs, history, and landscape bear the influence of Buddhism. This is attributed to the institutionalisation of the...
Winter Edition ,
December 13th, 2015
By Françoise Pommaret
Patronage of the arts has been an undertaking of royal families in all monarchical cultures. Examples abound: In the 12th century, Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122 or 1124- 1204), Queen of France and then of England, had numerous castles and abbeys built; the Sun King, Louis XIV (1638-1715), is synonymous...
Winter Edition ,
December 13th, 2015
By Tshering Choki
Bhutan has a rich literary heritage that tells the story of the country’s evolution over a millennium, from naturalist primitive communities through the process of Buddhist socio-cultural refinement until modern times. Today, Bhutan is the most resolute custodian of the northern Buddhist civilisation, which was initiated over a millennium...
Winter Edition ,
December 13th, 2015
By Thaddeus Metz, Johannes Hirata, and Ritu Verma1
Introduction ‘Good governance’ usually refers to the way that a political organisation such as a national government or local municipality is run. However, these days the phrase is often used to denote sound policy and practice for any large-scale institution, including a university, union, or business. Central questions about...
Winter Edition ,
December 13th, 2015
By Bjørn Førde
Let me start by stating what this article is not about. It is not an academic investigation into the features of the Nordic model of a state called the welfare state; and it is not an attempt to compare the welfare state model with other state forms that have...
Winter Edition ,
December 13th, 2015
By John Elliott
The Yes Minister television sitcom that became a Textbook It is inevitable in parliamentary democracies that there will be tensions between elected ministers, who usually serve for only relatively short periods of a few years, and civil servants who often work in government for their entire careers. While a...
Winter Edition ,
December 13th, 2015
By Tashi Colman
Dasho Neten Zangmo, the former Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of the Kingdom of Bhutan and now the Executive Director of Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative and Lho Mon Education, spoke with her colleague Dr. Tashi Colman on the role of constitutional bodies in Bhutanese governance. In sharing her views,...
Winter Edition ,
December 13th, 2015
By Gyaltshen K. Dorji
Dasho Penjore, the recently appointed Governor of the Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan (the country’s Central Bank), spoke with journalist Gyalsten K. Dorji on the role of the financial sector in Bhutan and whether it is fulfilling its role.This interview, however, took place in November 2015 when Dasho was...
Winter Edition ,
December 13th, 2015
By Venkat Iyer
It is now seven years since Bhutan adopted a written Constitution as part of a series of far-reaching reforms commenced in 2001 by the Fourth King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. His Majesty aimed to, among other things, provide Bhutan with ‘a democratic system of government best suited for the future...
Winter Edition ,
December 13th, 2015
By Mark Mancall
This small volume antedates, but complements, the
massive and magisterial The
History of Bhutan by Karma
Phuntsho. Karma Phuntsho
drew upon it for his own
work (it is cited in his bibliography), but Karma Ura’s
discussion of royal leader-ship stands on its own, and
any reader will benefit great
ly from its...
Winter Edition ,
December 13th, 2015
By Needrup Zangpo
The publication of the biographies of Gongsa Jigme Namgyal and the four kings of Bhutan by the Centre for Bhutan Studies and GNH Research between 2008 and 2011 is a monumental undertaking. In all–1,478 pages spread over five volumes–the biography series is the biggest work of documentation on the...