Nawang P Phuntsho

According to Business Bhutan ’s “Eat Junk and Pay More”, our government is proposing to impose heavy taxes as high as 150% on what they call “junk foods”. Now let’s face it. Who eats these supposedly “junk” foods? It is the low income people – those that cannot afford three meals a day. Who suffers the most from the lifestyle and food related diseases? It is wealthy section of the society and those in comfortable positions (involved in sedentary tasks). Some of us have the options of not eating “junks”. What are and what are not junks? Is our definition of “junk” before the food has been consumed or afterward? For some of us, once eaten all food items become junk. That means Bhutanese would be eating more rice than ever, especially so after this taxation policy is enforced. This is the way we live in a GNH country.

This post has no substantial or grand subject to highlight. But as I was trying to call my wife, I just wondered. So, there is no bad intention intended to hit anyone out there. When B-Mobile introduced this negative balance, it was a welcome move. And it definitely was a wonderful scheme that benefits both the customers and the service provider. Since there are no risks involved, I think B-Mobile should even increase the negative balance to Nu. 20 or 30. I could be wrong though. I have no technical expertise to comment on this. But the talk aside, I find it quite weird when I hear a lady’s voice warning me “your balance is low, you will enter into negative balance.” The fact is I am already running on ‘negative’ balance. And because I know I am running in negative balance, why do I need someone to warn me?

This time, the scene is in Dujegang Middle Secondary School, Daga. Five class nine students were suspended. They, however, can appear exams at the end of the year, but cannot continue their studies in the same school from the next academic session. And the cause? It is a “hairy issue”. Having received a funny hair cut from their teachers, these five insulted and infuriated students teamed up and assaulted a lopon . They were said to have stoned the teacher’s quarter. And back then when we were students, especially our lopons seemed to take so much interest and pride in cutting our hairs. We didn’t understand why our teachers didn’t like our hair to grow. I can still remember a teacher applying black paint on our girls’ hair. That was bit too much, I know.

Believe it or not, this was a letter I received from a friend of mine when we were passionately in love.It is been almost 12 years after she has written it. I have saved every single letter I received thus, but over the years the number went on decreasing. I could not find out who the real culprit was. And of late insects have started to eat away the pages from my collection. And I saved all these letters because of the person who wrote them to me was a innocent and loving girl of class 8, my classmate in 1999. The way she wrote them at that age in such powerful language is something that I have always admired. Thanks to her, I have so many wonderful memories to fest on today. 

This weekend the media fed us with this news about this Indian vegetable vendor apprehended by RBP in Phuentsholing, who was alleged to be supplying fake Bhutanese currency notes to Bhutanese counterparts. The way he printed the notes was something out of a movie just as the way he was caught red-handed by police. Now that we have caught him, we should be in a position to track down the Bhutanese who were after easy money. I am sure the Indian man would at least have some information or how else how could he have possibly done business without any information about his clients.

Finally, we have a story in Kuensel on this much talked about topic that sends goose bumps to parents. And the same fear haunts people from Kurtoe to Kalikhola, from Zobel to Zurphey, and from Chokhor to Chapcha. It is definitely more than a rumor. It is worrying everyone secretly. To believe or not to believe is an issue here. I think it is a rumor, but then rumor of this scale should have some truth in it. On the other hand the number of hydro-projects in Bhutan is increasing. I am divided now. I want to ignore the news at all, but when the fire is burning the entire hill you can’t have peace standing on the top of that mountain. I am human first. And I fear losing my brothers, sisters, and relatives everywhere. It is really worrying.

According to research, people who take afternoon naps usually have lower risks of dying from heart-related diseases. This research contends is because the naps reduce the stress in working people by giving them enough rest. "Those who took naps of more than 30 minutes three or more times a week had 37% lower risk." (BBC)