Nawang P Phuntsho

Today (July 25, 2013) People's Democratic Party (PDP) announced the members of the Cabinet 2013-2018. And as many expected the nation rejoiced the coming of first democratically elected woman minister - Aum Dorji Choden, an MP elect from Trashigang was appointed as the Minister for Ministry of Works and Human Settlement (MoWHS).  Bhutan's first woman minister also happens to be the nation's first woman engineer. Bhutan succeeded. I see more and more women joining  the fray. Certainly, Lyonpo Dorji Choden will go down in Bhutanese history not simply as the first woman minister, but for having paved the way for future generations of capable Bhutanese women.   The following information is from Kuensel: Dorji Choden, 53, is from Lamey Gonpa, Kangpara gewog. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology, India, and Masters of Arts in Public Administration from Syracuse Universit y in the United States.   She served for o...

Photo: Penstar Collection One of the pledges that People’s Democratic Party (PDP) made was to do away with the Pedestrian Day or No Vehicle Movement Day. Will DP live up to their pledge?  When it was first implemented the move invited a lot of criticisms from all quarters. People argued that the move instead of helping our environment contributes more pollution as it results in traffic congestions in other places while the core town remains empty during the day. Back then it was once a week on Tuesdays. The government in response to increasing criticisms made it once a month – on first Sunday of the month! It was far better, but many people were still unhappy with the policy. PDP used this public outcry as indicator for change. Many people (who were against the policy) were relieved knowing that No Vehicle Movement Day will be no more when the general election result was declared!     Now that PDP is in power – instead of doing it aw...

Photo: www.art.com I was little confused when one of my Uncles told me that this year for the first time Chukha Tshechu will be held in the month of October. Normally, it is held (almost) coinciding with Paro Tshechu. Chukha Tshechu was scheduled on March 25-27 this year on most calendars.  A website (a tourism to be specific) notifies its visitors that Chukha Tshechu this year was postponed to October 12-14 and it went on to say that it will be held in the newly inaugurated Chukha Dzong . But no official information or notification pertaining to decision in change of dates was provided anywhere. For once I thought maybe they wanted to do it in the new Dzong . However, the new Chukha  Dzong was inaugurated on March 9, 2012.  Now this is surprising! Why did the Dzongkhag Administration postpone the Tshechu ? A friend of mine thinks it might be due to the National Council elections that it was temporarily kept on hold. But again, Paro Tshechu went as sche...