BEO and its Youth employment escapades in Japan remains a dark blot on national landscape.

Once again the parents and youth victims of BEO attempt to seek justice. According to Kuensel,  yesterday on 26th June, 2019,  the Royal Bhutan Police has accepted the Appeal of Parents and youths for review though the applicants sought registration of a criminal case.

This sad case has scarred the employment scene for almost 2 years including the time of  investigation conducted by ACC. And there is still no hopeful light at the end of the tunnel. It is near impossible to surmount the daunting obstructions that confront the victims of BEO. Even ACC is unable to push  the criminal case past beyond OAG and the associated government Agencies and Ministry.

I do not envy the position of Royal Bhutan Police under the present circumstances. However, I congratulate the Chief of Police in his tactful handling of the case yesterday.

He could have received all the applicants in his office or meeting hall or out in the open space and  heard out the written appeal. Such broadness of mind and sympathy from a authority can heal a lot of accumulated hurts. But looks like only the lawyer was able to see the Police Chief and present the appeal letter.

I guess the Police Chief had to walk the tight rope of not rejecting the aggrieved applicants and also not infuriating the several  authorities that have been dealing or rather stalling this very same case.  Considering the varying circumstances, I applaud the decision of the Chief of Police to forward the case to Thimphu Police Superintendent under whose jurisdiction the case falls and have the case reviewed.

Already this huge dark case is spread over the ACC, Attorney General., Ministry of Labour, RCSC, the Cabinet and the main stream media and social media of two nations. The OAG, Labour Ministry, RCSC and Cabinet have kept the case at arms length.  These authorities are unable to bury the case and do not seem to wish to proceed forward.  Meanwhole some Officials and detractors  have shamelesssly tried to shift all the blame from BEO Partners& associates and Labour Ministry Officials  upon the youthful victims by such sweeping declarations as  " Bhutanese are lazy and irresponsible ". The lazy and irresponsible youths are to be blamed for being hoodwinked by BEO Partners and associates and taken advantage of by Japanese mafia in Japan.

The public of two nations Bhutan and Japan and the two Governments have a fair idea of what went on. But it is for Bhutanese authority to act or bury the case. If they wish to bury it, now is the opportune moment to get RBP to throw out the case. And if the Government wishes to help the nation to see through the case then RBP must be encouraged to filter through the documents submitted and forward the relevant evidences to OAG where the same case submitted by ACC awaits OAG's decision to prosecute or shelve. I do not feel another police  investigation is warranted through a complete new registration of a crime but  new facts can be added on to the ongoing ACC forwarded case lying with OAG. 

The present Cabinet and particularly the Minister of Labour and Human Resources have nothing to do with the past deeds of BEO and Labour Officials in regards to Youths sent to Japan. But the present Government have to shoulder the responsibility to clean up what seems to be quite a confused and messy handling of the Youth Employment Vision of the Royal Govrnment of Bhutan which also includes the hopes of the Royal Person, " Youths are the future of the nation ".   

Cooking gas shortage solution.

This government seems to possess the capacity to do what is necessary for overall good of the nation.

Dump subsidised cooking gas. Make non- subsidised gas available in required quantity.  And reduce electricity cost for home use ( non- industrial ). Not just in rural areas because many poor people also reside in urban centres. Either reduce the rate per unit or provide 200 units free for home consumption. But again do not repeat the heartless game of overcharging for units consumed over and  above the free 200 units. This shameful trick is presently in practice to recoup the cost of 100 units provided free in rural Bhutan.

The system of nationwide non subsidised gas will reduce drastically the quantity of gas imported. Further hoarding will be eliminated due to cost but more so because then gas is readily available.  And the nation will become more healthy as more families go for clean energy electrical power cooking habits.   The government must not be shortsighted and only be guided to earn high revenue from domestic sale of electricity. Go for comprehensive overall national benefits.

Presently Bhutan gets less than Rs 2 per unit for export to India. And domestic average rate is around Nu: 3 to 4 per unit.  BPC should seek soft loan to reach exteme less populated areas to reduce electrification cost.

Many CEOs related to electricity production and distribution in Bhutan  have received red scarfs. In return each of them have come up with different calculations of high domestic power rate to oppress the Bhutanese home consumers. These thoughtless leaders have forced Bhutanese voters to be slaves to Indian cooking gas subsidies. It is time to act sincerely in deeds  instead of always vouching lip service to Tsawa Sum and stop oppressing the people in different silent forms.

It is time for a people friendly PM and his Cabinet to subsidise power rate instead of begging India for subsidised cooking gas. Do not mix rate of subsidised and non subdidised cooking gas cost to come up with a uniform gas  rate. Such a policy prolongs our slavery to external manipulation and dependency.

Use wisely the resources we have at hand and introduce sound sovereign policies where ever and in which ever way. 

Age of Consent issue a lost cause already.

Seems that both the heads of government and Opposition are against lowering age of consent ( courtesy Kuensel ). Thats a lot of  Parliamentary  effort for nothing. Why then even bother to make it Parliamentary agenda to vote on?

1. Age of consent applies to both sex. Not just female. So please self named women advocates stop those crodidle tears.

2. If harsh penalty was the only problem related to age of consent than Parliament Committee should have put effort to reduce penalty for illegal but consensual sex. Why even bother taking up the matter for lowering the consent  age to 16 years.

3. Bhutanese Court of Law follows the definition of age as calculated by western method. By Bhutanese tradition, legal 16 years age would still be 18.

4. Traditionally by Bhutanese age 15 for male and 18 for female, the citizens were subjected to conscripted labour as well as defence duty.

5. Therefore, there is the traditional historical background that demonstrates  that Bhutanese youth at Bhutanese age of 15 and 18 equivalent to Western age 13 and 16 have shouldered national responsibilities. As such our youths have the right to expect the age of consent to be lowered to 16 age.

6. Bhutan is a nation of mostly youth population  dictated upon by elderly people. This course of administration by the minority older generation must be rectified. And the only way and correct means to enable the  majority youth population to have a say in the affairs of the nation is by lower voting right to age 16. Lowering age of consent is the beginning of dawn of youth empowerment.

7. Lowering age of consent to age 16 is empowering the youth. Sex is only a minor part though inhumane penalty imposed ( 9 years jail term ) for offender has exposed the social hellish side of the law that converted consensual sex to rape status which called for a relook at the age of consent.

8. Age of consent is simply the legal age when a youth has the legal right to make decision for oneself free of consent of the  guardian. And because the body is the closest and dearest possession of any living being, that right must begin with the right to decide over one's own body. And when you are 16 years old by Western standard and 18 years by Bhutanese tradition, surely a youth should have right to decide about sex.

9. With the age of consent regarding one's own body lowered to 16 years old, the path is cleared for youths to gradually  receive the legal rights to vote and own property in their name and have their own bank account upon completing 16 years age. This is empowering the youth and giving them a say in their future and that of the nation.

The people who oppose lowering the age of consent to 16 years are not protecting the youth whether girl or boy. They are denying a legitimate birth and biological right of a youth. And thereby obstructing all other empowering process for youth population to have legitimate say in their affairs and that of national affairs.

The people in power are afraid to empower the  unknown force the youth population of Bhutan..That is why the Political Parties both Ruling and in Opposition are out to resist the critical amendment in lowering the age of consent. They know what would follow. Age of consent is the key that will open the door wide open for youth empowerment. And that frightens leadership of the older generation..

If PM, Opposition leader and all the loud women MPs are sincere in the  protection of girls then legalise abortion. The worst exploitation of a girl's body is being forced upon to keep nursing unwanted pregnancy and then forced to raise the baby thereafter without a father. Otherwise please  refrain  from holier than god attitute and all these loud false concerns for girls.

If these people really think sexual activity is a taboo for 16 years old youth then stop promoting safe sex nation wide particulatly in schools. Why distribute condoms and promote safe sex? If it is safe for both body and moral to have sex using condom for high school students then why is is not acceptable to lower the age of consent to 16 age?  Away with false concerns and using such pretensions to deny youth the power over their own bodies and other civil rights that would follow upon lowering the age of consent.

The ugly truth of boulder export corruption system.

1. The rule was that trucks can carry 15 tonnes in addition its own nett weight of 10 tonnes making the total weight 25 tonnes.  That means the exporter pays royalties on 15 tonnes only. And their business income tax would also be calculated on income from 15 tonnes per truck load exported.

However, the exporters and truck owners are  publicly disclosing that their truck load is 35 tonnes including the 10 tonnes nett weight of the truck body. This means till ACC caught them red handed, the exporters were exporting 10 additional tonnes per truck in the black without paying royalty and without reflecting the income from sales for BIT purpose.

2. Moreover, the dollar income from boulder export is also partially hidden to the tune of American dollars $ 290 per truck load. The cost per tonne of boulder exported is said to be $ 29. So there is a generation of black money of Nu: 290x75= Nu; 21,750 per truck load flowing into the country ad ill gittrn wealth of few criminals. 

3. For small fries, ACC would have charged the exporters with criminal/ fraud case. And demanded double the tax and income  evaded with 24% surcharge for every year. But here both the exporters and truckers are let go scot free of past criminal.deeds. And are required to only  stop defrauding the State by sticking, hereafter,  to actual permissable weight per trip.

But the  truckers and exporters do not agree. They want the black money. Such blatancy only proves that they think the government of the day is in their pocket. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Lets see how far this Cabinet and Parliament gives in.

4. Presently he collective political clout and influence of exporters and truckers are so blatantly accepted by the concerned regulatory agencies and the Ministries that the nation allows itself to be held hostage. This just demonstrates how corrupt Bhutan is from head to toe. Now even the Parliament has endorsed such corruption by increasing the tonnage allowed to be carried without calling for accounting of past misdeeds/ frauds. 

5. This corruption system is not just related to boulder export. The under- invoicing happens in all other raw mineral export and probably in most imports. The State is short of financial resources only because there is a collusion through out our governing system to enrich few at the expense of the nation and the majority of the masses. This is the main readon why there is a call for nationalisation of all export of minerals and boulders. And the  same national collusion scheme to enrich the few have prevented every Democratic Government from nationalising the mines.

The Cabinet of PM Narenda Modi.

The Cabinet of PM Narenda Modi.

On 20th May in my blog " The General Election of India " I wrote that Arun Jaitley might be ousted and that Amit Shah could be Deputy Prime Minister cum BJP President / Deputy Prime Minister cum Home Minister ".

Well Jaitley is out. Seeing the writing on the wall, he asked not to be included in the new team. Nirmala Sitharaman who replaced Jaitley as Defence Minister after Doklam, has now replaced Jaitley as Finance Minister who leaves behind a legacy of highest unemployment figure in 45 years and much slower growth rate.

And Amit Shah has become all I said. His title is not Deputy Prime Minister but he is now the number 2 in the Indian government. He and Modi chose the Ministers. I guess he is superstitious about the Deputy Prime Minister title considering the fate of Shri Advaniji. But Amit Shah is the undisputed no: 2 + Home Minister and as of now he still is the BJP Party President.

I feel sorry for Madam Sushma Swaraj. I felt she would go but I could not bring myself to write so. She seems to be a great person and I liked her for the way she conducted herself with our Royals during her visit to Bhutan. But it was Jaishankar the foreign Secretary whose tenure was extended and trusted by Modi to handle external crisis especially the Doklam fiasco even whilst Shushma was the Minister. So the political signal was very clear.

The new External.Minister Jaishankar is praised by all. He is an experienced diplomat and a seasoned trouble shooter. But he did cause the biggest Indian blunder with Nepal. I kind of recall that it was Jaishankar who went to give Nepal the ultimatum about Nepal's new constitution followed up with Nepal blockade by India which pushed Nepal towards China. Maybe, he was only executing the bidding of the PM Modi and Ajit Doval at that time. He visited Bhutan during the height of Doklam crisis. So our respected Kings would know how feriously impactful the new External.Affairs Minister of India can be.

Ajit Doval the National Security Adviser who advocated the anti-Nepal and anti-Bhutan policies i.e. economic blokade of Nepal and Indian military trangession on Bhutan side of Doklam on false pretext of protecting Bhutan, may be on his way out. His policies backfired badly. He angered China, pushed away Nepal and shocked Bhutan numb.  And now in any case with Jaishankar as External Minister and Amit Shah in Home Ministry, Ajit Doval is hemmed in to suffocation by two figures who enjoy much more personal rapport and trust with PM Modi. I just hope that Bhutan has a leader who can fare better during this 2nd Modi term.

What Age of Consent means.

Looks like some view the lowering of age of consent from 18 to 16 a grievous error. Maybe if you are only looking at it from a narrow perspective of sex. Try not have have your minds clouded by sex and rape emotions unless you were born into such a life. There is more to life than sex. Life is not about sex though it is part of it. Life is about living. And age of consent is the right to self determination. Yes, " Self Determination " is what is being ultimately. decided upon  when lawmakers are discussing " the age of consent ".

1. There is the critical biological factor. How developed a human body is when one completes the 16th birthday and begin the age of 17. And then the factor of mental maturity and the stage to take responsibilities.

2. By the 16th birthday, a student would have captained a team, house and school. Helped teachers to manage over one thousand fellow students. In fact young boys and girls as school captains would have helped school authorities to run the school,  handled responsibilities in class, in school, at home and in communities. They would have gone out of home and schools on assignments or just social gatherings. They takeover responsibilities to manage their lives. They decide what profession to go for and what they wish to do in life.

3. The young people are ready to define and dictate about what matters to them. They are old enough to make decisions about their life and likewise own properties. Why should they be treated as helpless adolescents and totally subject to the whims of teachers or parents?

4. None of us even at old age can perfectly decide about life and love. So there just does not exist a line in our life when we can be a perfect human being. Life is a journey of trials, errors, triumps and failures. A lot of our adult likes and dislikes, wants and yearns are in fact sown into our self being at an early age. Once you have completed the 16th birthday, you are as prepared as one can be. As you turn the age of 17, you better be able to participate in life as a wholesome individual. Sure you may not be in position to  support your livelihood. But you are in position to make choice based upon  rational reasonings.

5. I agree that citizens who have completed their 16th birthdays should be declared as adults. They must have right to consent, right to vote, right to have properties registered in their names, right to open and operate bank account and right to work to lead a self supported livelihood. And ofcourse the right to love and have sex to their individual liking.

The coming of the much promised pay raise.

In reference to an article on Pay raise by The Bhutanese, I find the Cabinet decision quite sound.

Also this should be a Money Bill as decided by the Speaker. DNT Party as a whole must be given the credit of getting the Cabinet the Party nominated to give the pay raise as committed during election campaign. Neither NC nor Opposition can be allowed to dilute or take credit/ blame for the Pay raise. But as usual both the Oppositon MPs and NC MPs will equally benefit along with all others covered by the pay raise.

The Cabinet is very sensibly considerate in enhancing lower pay raise percentage and not reducing the mileage rate.

I cannot help suspecting that the Pay Commission designed the drastic reduction in mileage rate and introduced the Nu: 10, 000 for red scarfs as a dagger to stab DNT Party's future aspirations.

Further, leaving aside the quota entitlements of elected MPs, it would benefit both the recipients and the nation if vehicle quota is monetised. The government will have no resource problem for quota monetization. In fact government will get more income from duties levied on otherwise duty free imports under quota.  Right now poor civil servants are forced to sell quota to get some benefit out of the entitlement. The number of vehicles imported could also be reduced.

I guess there will be still dissatisfactions expressed. There is no end to both envy and greed of we people. . Non-civil servants do not want civil servants to get pay raise. Many do not want elected people to get more despite inflations. And some want national honours that they received subsidised further with life long exorbitant  monthly payments. I guess it is also a GNH pillar albiet a sad one.

Indian politics without Gandhi Dynasty.

Rahul Gandhi has learnt in a very regrettable way that whilst it was easy tearing off an Ordinance proposed by Prime Minister ManMohan Singh Cabinet, time has past for him to make good the damage he had inflicted upon the Congess Party.  There was a spurt of glow last December but it turned out to be a candle flicker.

I do not think Gandhi Family should leave politics. But Rahul must share authority and spotlight with a fresh figure in the forefront. Perhaps Shashi Tharoor's calling has come. Maybe few others should be given a free hand  to reshape and revamp Congress. Not necessarily young hot bloods. But seasoned experienced hands to chalk out strategy now for the next election.

Congress Working Committee needs to have open positive environment and not be dominated restrictively  by Gandhi personalities. Party  Politics cannot progress without adequate money.  And Congress needs fund therefore a number of well heeled patrons is most desirable. Most importantly, Congress needs fresh members and not just youths but all ages and gender irrespective of race, religion or political colours.

Name calling is not an election strategy. And worse was addressing PM Modi as chowkidar thus endearing him to the masses who are in chowkidar position both financially and socially. And last minute rabbit from the hat such as NYAY cannot replace sound and tested manifesto formulated over the years.

Raghuram Rajan should have been brought in 2 years before to work under the supervision of former PM ManMohan Singh on this NAYA Scheme. Everything smacked of hurried reactive response and thus had no substantive impact. There was never the time to promote NAYA to the grass root.

A political Party must have money to attract cadres in the field. A Political Party must have innovative ways to sell new relevant ideas to attract the masses. Congress has to start from the start. So must many of the regional political parties of India. From Trinamol, SP, BSF, CPI, CPM etc. The leaders must not desperately yearn for PM Post for their individual glory. But rather think of the Party and national interest. The Opposition Parties could not unite mainly because each and every Party Leader harboured PM ambition. Maybe they should all start from the tea stall and thereafter spent decades to understand and also.recognise the common people.

War drums once again in Middle East.

United States have issued ultimatum to Iran and the British Government has once again blindly sided with United States as she did in conducting the Iraq war upon  the fabricated allegation of Iraq possessing Weapon of Mass Destruction. And Israel the spearhead of American war column and Policeman in Middle East must be rearing to receive the goahead to bombard Iran.

For sure a super power United States  can destroy a regime in Iran. But at what cost? United States interests and her allies in Middle East too will suffer in proportion. Israeli and American forces can inflict maximum damages upon Iran but still the nation Iran will survive though the regime would not. Regimes have been toppled along with thousands of citizens  killed and precious national assets and infrastructures destroyed.  But despite suffering unimaginable devastations, nations like Iraq and Libya still stand. In like manner so will stand Iran. And Americans and Israelis will never be free of survival anxiety.

American multinational corporations may be making money out of oil fields in Iraq and Libya but American people in general have not benefitted. Instead they lost their sons in the battle fields of Middle East. In case of Iran too, the shale oil companies of America would benefit from wider world market if Iranian oil export is frozen by American imposed sanctions.

But illgotten wealth will not end American woes. Because wealth and dream of better life attracts deprived and the destitute. Already both Western Europe and United States are facing unprecedented invasion by refugees. There are more than 500,000 people gathered at the border of United States and Mexico struggling to get into the richest and most powerful nation of the world. Unlike refugees swarming Western Europe, these people may not be direct result of wars.  But for sure all regions of the world are affected in mostly adverse ways when parts of the world forever up  in inferno all the time because of American hegemonic conquests.

If America continues to raise hell in other countries, America herself will be inundated with more hungry and distraught people seeking sanctuary. Rich and the powerful can never enjoy their life in peace unless and until the minimum needs of less fortunate are met.

I hope America and her allies will not make it impossible for Iranians to survive  in their own nation. The source of refugees and origins of diehards are created when circumstances make it uttertly difficult to live a normal life in a particular social and political environment. And ripple effects from Iran war will multiply disasters in different regions of the world. Even United States, Britain and Israel will not be celebrating victories they initial would win.

Wars will lead to more wars.  What Israel and America  should realise is that there is no war to end all wars. No religion that can supersede all other beliefs and no race ointed to rule all other races.

There is only peace to end all wars. And harmony to counter all unrests.

General Election of India.

Whoever comes to power in India, the fundamental policy of India towards Bhutan will not change. Our Kingdom will be treated as a " Protectorate " though less aggressively by non-Congress Indian government. It is up to Bhutanese leadership to define our national priority in our national sovereign interest. 

Yes, Doklam transgression under a non- congress Indian government is fresh on my mind. But no Indian government will repeat the ill advised Doklam blunder again. In the Indian mis-venture, Bhutan suffered deeply partly because we had our share of misplaced faith in India. It is never ok to presume that our national interests aligns with that of another nation including India.

Who comes to power in India is not as important to Bhutanese as how our own leaders proceed, hereafter. It is for Bhutan to have our own " Jinnah " Wangchuck who can lead the Kingdom to  develop and preserve our nation as a proactive relevant  buffer state  between India and China and have sovereign relationship with both of our south and north neighbours.

The exit polls in India shows BJP back in power. I guess it was kind of foregone conclusion though the win may not be as solid as predicted. I remember calling Amit Shah an election wizard. He has not lost his magic.  Modi is King Arthur and Amit Shah is Merlin the genius wizard. I am just wondering what would  Amit Shah's portfolio be in the 2nd inning. Will he be Deputy Prime Minister cum Party President or Deputy PM with Home Ministry portfolio. Will Jaitley be ousted? Not important to an outsider but just playing a game of speculation.