Tag: bhutan

Is Bhutan’s debt sustainable?

Though severely indebted, Bhutan is at a moderate risk of distress

13 December, 2009 – Bhutan is paying Nu 3.8 billion annually to service an outstanding debt of Nu 35b as of October this year, which is five billion less than the cost of the 1020 MW Tala project.

The debt, as a percentage of GDP, is 53 percent with hydropower debt at Nu 21.5b and non-hydropower debt at Nu 13.5b.

The debt figures do not take into account the Rs 5b borrowed this year from India to meet domestic rupee requirements, said Tshewang Norbu of the finance ministry. who made a presentation of the debt situation at a national workshop on strengthening responses to the global financial crisis. Continue reading Is Bhutan’s debt sustainable?

Children overworked

Child workers work far beyond the time and day limits set by the [Bhutan’s] Labour and Employment Act, according to a study conducted by National Commission for Women and Children (NCWC).

The child labour study, which was conducted by sampling 650 child labourers between 6 and 14 years of age from six dzongkhags – two each from three regions – in the country, found that 37 percent of the children worked between eight and a half hours to 12 hours, and 20 percent worked for more than 12 hours a day. Eighty-nine percent of them started work before 8 am. Continue reading Children overworked

Performance Compact signing by Ministries

December 9, 2009

Today, the Royal Government of Bhutan makes a pledge – to significantly improve gross national happiness of its population by delivering to its citizens social and economic growth over the 10th plan period. This initiative is specifically aimed at generating respectful employment for 75,000 people, transforming delivery of public services like education and healthcare while institutionalizing a culture of good governance. Continue reading Performance Compact signing by Ministries

Bhutan climate report in Copenhagen

Bhutan will see an increase in winter temperature of 1.5°C to 4.0°C by 2050s, according to a World Bank (WB) report released in conjunction with the UN’s Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen underway this week.

The report titled, Shared Views on Development and Climate Change, states that there are no long-term climate data available on Bhutan but available data during the 1990-2002 period point to an increase in rainfall inconsistency across the country.

In the 1998-2003 period, the mean monthly temperature recorded was higher than the mean temperature recorded for the 1990-2003 period, pointing to an overall warming trend. The predicted increases in temperature and more erratic rainfall patterns pose a threat to Bhutan, its people, and its economy. With its fragile ecosystem, glacier lake outburst floods in the northern mountains constitute an ever-present threat. Of the 2,674 glacial lakes in Bhutan, 24 are considered to be potentially dangerous, states the report. Continue reading Bhutan climate report in Copenhagen

On a fast track to fulfilment

By 2013, Bhutan’s school system should be GNH [Gross National Happiness]-engendered

Educating for GNH 11 December, 2009 – Around 541 school principals and representatives of the two teacher colleges in Bhutan will meet on January 20 to ensure that GNH values and principles are brought into the school system starting from the 2010 academic year.

The prime minister, Lyonchhoen Jigmi Y Thinley, the education minister, the education secretary and director of the royal education council made this proposal yesterday. They would also be participating in the seven-day workshop with the principals next month.

This particular action plan is based on what was discussed in “educating for GNH workshop” this week, according to the executive director of GPI Atlantic, Ronald Colman, who is assisting the education ministry to host the workshop. Continue reading On a fast track to fulfilment

Draining the dangerous Thorthormi Lake

Aeriel view of glacial lakes in Bhutan

The first phase of an international project to reduce the risk of Bhutan valley from the threatening bursting of growing and increasingly unstable glacial lake is emphasising the huge costs of climate change adaptation in the Himalayas.

Thorthormi Tsho is a glacial lake perched precariously at 4,428 metres above the sea level in the remote Lunana area of northern Bhutan. Rated as one of Bhutan’s likeliest future catastrophes, a breach and outburst flood through Thorthormi Tsho’s unstable moraine walls would most likely spill into the also vulnerable Raphsthreng Tsho 80 metres below, with the combined flood suddenly releasing up to 53 million cubic metres of water and debris into the upper catchment of the Pho Chhu River.

In a valley still bearing the scars of a just one third as large 1994 Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF)which took more than 20 lives and devastated villages and wrecked transport and power facilities, the prospect is frightening. Continue reading Draining the dangerous Thorthormi Lake

Bringing GNH to schools

5 December, 2009 – A class XI student in Thimphu, Dorji Tshomo Tshering, has been through this week reading up on gross national happiness (GNH) and the Bhutanese education system.

The 16-year-old science student is among the 28 Bhutanese participants and 25 international educators, who will take part in the six-day “Educating for GNH workshop” in Thimphu starting December 7.

Bhutanese and international participants will sit together to discuss very practically how GNH values can be brought into science, math, history, language and extra-curricular activities from pre-primary through post secondary education, according to education officials. Continue reading Bringing GNH to schools

An exhibition of abilities…

home … that showcases the possibilities however challenged persons may be

SPECIAL PEOPLE, SIMPLE NEEDS: Ugyen Wangdi, a hearing impaired student of Drugyel LSS spells it out.

International Disability Day 4 December, 2009 – In response to a question on what is the most important help he needed from the government, Ugyen Wangdi, a hearing impaired student of Drugyel lower secondary school wrote: “Books, pencil, paper, pen,” on a small green-board, pinned with a banner that read ‘Communicate through Reading and Writing’.

Ugyen Wangdi was part of an exhibition held yesterday to showcase the abilities of the mentally and physically challenged, as Bhutan observed International Day for Persons with Disabilities with the theme: Realising the millennium development goals for all.

The exhibition, held in the courtyard of the Druk Tashi Taj hotel, the only venue in the capital city with basic accessibility for the physically challenged, also had on display knitted weaves, woodcarvings, embroidery, artwork and a host of other items made by people with special needs. Continue reading An exhibition of abilities…

Microfinance policy crucial to alleviate poverty

Rural credit is crucial in improving lives in the farm

Bhutan needs to adopt a national policy on micro finance. This was the message at a seminar on creating a suitable environment and regulatory framework for micro financing yesterday.

“There is no national policy at the moment,” said Dr Pema Choephyel, a BDFCL agriculture specialist who spoke at the seminar. With a national policy, Dr Pema told Kuensel, rural poverty alleviation would become more effective and faster. “We’ll be able to focus and target groups critically in need of credits,” he said, “It would also steer us in the right direction on how micro financing actually should be instituted according to international standards.”

More than 20 percent of Bhutan’s population live on less than US$ 1 a day, the threshold considered necessary to maintain an adequate standard of living. The government plans to reduce this poverty rate to less than 15 percent by 2013. Continue reading Microfinance policy crucial to alleviate poverty

Quake damage toll rises in Bhutan

The earthquake damage toll in the country, especially in the eastern dzongkhags, has risen. The death toll in Mongar, Trashigang, Trashiyangtse, Lhuentse and Samdrup Jongkhar has increased to 13.

Reports from the east say many people are moving to safer places out in the open. The details of damages are sketchy owing to large affected areas and difficult terrain. Assessment is underway, according to the field personnel deployed to assess the extent of damage and support the people affected by the earthquake need.

“Dzongkhag administration officials are out in the villages assessing the magnitude of the damages. It could take a day or two to compile a comprehensive report,” said the Trashiyangtse Dzongda.

The latest damage figures stand at 1,805 houses, 116 lhakhangs, 165 chortens, 39 schools and 47 government offices. Figures are expected to increase as assessment teams reach the far-flung villages. Continue reading Quake damage toll rises in Bhutan