Nawang P Phuntsho

The following is a column I wrote for Business Bhutan in 2009. I take this liberty to reproduce it here: According to UNDP’s Human Development Report 2009, which was launched on October 21, Bhutan has succeeded to be one of the countries in the region with the highest rural-urban migration rate. This according to the report was as a result of people moving away from rural areas in search of better lives in towns. I am not surprised. And I guess, there are no reasons to be. In this regard BBS hosted a panel discussion.

It was a hot sunny day, but they came marching like a swarm of bees. And they understood the reason why they were lined up - to answer the call of the city. When Phuentsholing Higher Secondary School students lined up in groups to pick up papers and plastics in and around Phuentsholing city, it was a notable noble cause. And their mission was to prepare the town for the upcoming SAARC Summit. Amidst the extreme heat the city wore a cleaner look at least for that day – April 22, 2010.

Recently I see policemen and the concerned authority reprimanding the businessmen and shopkeepers not to sell tobacco products, at a meeting in Thimphu on BBS. It is nice to see people acting on the mandates. But sometimes I wonder if putting such a ban on the products many people are willing to pay so much, is a good decision. National Assembly might disagree. The thriving black market is an evidence. Some shopkeepers have already lost their trade licenses, dashing the hopes of some humble men. 

The show glued everyone every weekend to the idiot box. And for the first time, everyone in the family agreed on the same channel- Bhutan Broadcasting Service. It was the best time listening to the voice of the Druk Yul in the making. And Sunday April 18, 2010 brought to an end to the long and fulfilling program on BBS with the crowning of Jampel Yangzom as the Druk Star 2010. All smiles to the people of Bhutan – the best has rightfully won the title.

(What we say is far less than what we have in our minds. Our mind or brain acts as a sieve to separate what is in our minds and what we ought to be saying out in the public. But for instance if our mind fails to sieve our thoughts, I wonder how we would be. The following is an excerpt from the collection of such random and raw thoughts.) Now that’s what I call a ‘gentleman’. You know, you sometimes look like an old American president. No, no, not exactly him, but somewhere in between the lines, you miss a few things. How many times do I have to tell you I hate to sleep on the couch? Now do you see the bird up in the sky? Yes that one! I like that! Because I can’t see in the darkness and some people go on making fires in my little warm and cozy fireplace.

Of course there is nothing that would offend anyone here. We have seen with our own eyes and heard with our own ears. In Bhutan whenever there are accidents or forest fires (which is becoming more rampant now, especially in the east), or some other mishaps, reports flood the columns of newspapers. And as the norm has it, these reports will tell us what has happened where and quote some witnesses who might have accidentally been at the scene. I am not sure even if they talk to people at the site. But let’s say they do and I am sure they ought to. And as you might have realized all these stories end with the catchword: “…and the police are investigating.”

It's been a long time since I last updated this blog.  But don't worry I have been thinking about it for a long time now. I just have had no time available at my disposal to post things as I am used to in the past. And added to this was the fact that blogspot.com was blocked on our network. It has not been long since the site was unblocked for us.  It is good that they did. Otherwise it was morally discouraging for me. Now my words are already failing me. This powerful mental and writer's block is killing me.  But I am determined to keep it going. And what I saw at Paro Tsechu forced to write this post. It is nothing big. But I was just wondering, if we have youth who are fascinated by guns and bloody wars, what will happen to this Buddhist country?  Sometimes I think our country is safe in the hands because our young children are getting the taste of guns and hitting people in their heads and ears, chasing someone around with guns until he catches his opponent to ...