Yup, its here. The long wait is finally over. We have 20% increase in salary. Yes, and this time too it is an allowance. The salary in the corporations have now become near incomprehensible with all the differently named allowances.
I wonder what is the reason for the affection for allowances by our corporate decision makers. I know for sure that the implication is on the accumulating Pension and Provident funds. As it stands today, with the 20% increase in allowances, the Civil Servants enjoy larger long term benefits than the Corporate employees simply for the reason that the Civil servants have a higher basic pay than that of the Corporations. I don't know whether this is a conscious decision of making it so or just a weakness on the part of our corporate decision makers to take strong decisions. If it was finally going to be just an increase in allowance, the question in my mind is, why did it take so long for them to arrive at such a simple decision? I can understand more complexity would be involved an increase in Basic salary or a total delinking from the civil service salaries.
I think its time the Corporate Decision makers sat down and really gave this issue a strong thought. All indications from the Government is that of a salary at par with the civil servants. If that is fair, then so be it. If it is not fair, then a stance should be taken and decisions taken accordingly. Our Bhutanese mentality of a neither here, nor there stance should be done away with. The Corporate Employees often argue of being more efficient and harworking than the Civil Servants. Perhaps, then the differential salary between the Corporate employees and civil servants should be a variable pay based on targets and achievements.
All said and done, I know for sure that Corporate employees certainly do not deserve to have lower pension and provident fund accumulation than that of civil servants. The Government will understandably be pro-civil servants atleast for the short term, given our hardened bureaucratic politicians, no matter what the rhetoric on importance of the private and corporate sector. Its for our Corporate Decision makers to work for the development of the corporate sector and protection of its interests in the long run.
I have heard the phrase " you are the future" so many times, that i think it has got me into a trance and I lived my life with that in my subconscious, until the day of the awakening, when i realized, i am no more the future but the present and probably will become the past soon. :) I remember a teacher telling me that the teen phase will feel the longest and the twenties will just fly by before you know it. Very true, I am on the thirties journey now.
Its a reflective moment as I am at a loss to judge how the journey till the start of the thirties is to be measured. I think the most appropriate question as frequently asked on advertisement is, HAVE I MADE MY LIFE LARGE?
On a personal level, i guess, the best measure would be family. I haven't started mine, so i wonder if i have failed. I see some of my married friends and i know i haven't while some of them make me wish i had started my journey on that front too.
On a professional side, i think i have fared decently with no guilt of wasting time, un-justified salary or the training and travel hunger. I have contributed and in my own ways of measurement, left my mark.
I have met lot of people, have lots of friends and have had my crazy moments. Life could have been better had i strived harder, but I think, in many ways, i consciously chose not to.
I m probably half way through and with my thirty years of experience, I m going to make sure that i make my life as LARGE as possible.
I remember a remark by the Lyonchen after his visit to Brazil that he was impressed with the way they were applying GNH into their lives. He then comes back and orders that ways and means be employed to do the same thing in Bhutan. Including it in education curriculum, trying to get in a forced angle of GNH in everything the Govt does, including the phrase in all important official letters was the only way they saw. Sad and petty! Simple and the most fundamental of it all would be to enact fair and just laws. The tobacco act has taken away so much GNH from people. We are a small country, a small society, where most are relatives others are good friends, friends of friends atleast. Anyone effected by this horrendous act has effect on the GNH of the others. God save us all.
As normal and ordinary human being, we generally prefer to react when something is before our eyes. The other humane quality of forgetfulness and forgiveness generally let go on the incident after sometime. So, this is a quest to maintain some kind of record for future reference of the whats being done by the political parties, the good, the bad and the ugly! The decision in who to vote for will be clearer with more information. This is a late start as democratically elected government has been in power for about 3 years. So, whatever is recorded here about whats happened before this day is all out of memory. What happens here after, it will be my constant effort to timely update the records.so here goes:
27/1/11 1. I remember clearly although i was not in the country , the results of the first elections were declared, DPT won by a landslide majority and PDP cried foul and the two MP's threatened to resign. I felt then that PDP was being very irresponsible in accepting the defeat. A beautiful and peaceful transition to democracy was at the danger of loosing its image with the international community.
Negative points to PDP here
2. I also remember reading in a international news paper ( newyork times probably) that one of the founding members of PDP was having no qualms in talking to the international news reporter a day before the elections, with a beer can covered in a news paper, in a bar/restaurant. A day before the elections is declared a dry day by the election commission.
Negative points again to PDP
3. The first democratically elected government was established and then the important role of endorsing the constitution started with the first session of the elected representatives in the NA and NC. The entire country was now faced with the result of what they had done. It started with the total disregard for the proposal of having the Deputy speaker from the opposition. Poor quality discussions in the NA with closed ears for good suggestions from the opposition party because of their minor presence was the result of what the people had chosen. The acts on the table for discussions were the most important acts, which would have implications not only to the present population but to the future generations as well. I felt sadness and wished it was less of teachers and inexperienced ( probably unemployed) graduates and more of experienced professionals researching and giving their views. I also wished for more debate which was probably lacking because of the minuscule opposition. All constitutional issues surrounding the CDG and the taxation might be a result of inadequate debate
Negative points to DPT and the voters.
4. Approving and hiding of the CDG
The DPT showed the power of their absolute majority in the house. My personal opinion on CDG is that it gives focused political mileage and will probably ensure hereditary politicians. If the intent was really in trying to help people, there are established mechanisms to allocate the fund to the required people. I feel that the whole idea of CDG was for the money to flow from the MP's hands into their constituency. On a positive, I think the CDG will ensure that voters continue having the will to make lots of effort in going to vote. My biggest fear in the intent of the CDG by the ruling government came when they tried to hide the CDG fund in getting the budget approved. This was as sick as it could get and even the best of intent executed in such a way will not have the faith of the people.
Negative points to DPT!
5. who is the big daddy? - Irresponsible decisions.
With a landslide victory and huge representation in the NA, the ruling government is making the most of it. First, it pushes for a revision in tax with out NA approval and then riding on their ego and pride they decide to appeal against a high court ruling which reiterates that the tax revision is illegal. What seems to come on this issue is that, no MP ever thought about direct and indirect taxes when the constitution was being endorsed ( probably because of lack of proper debate).
Then comes the infamous law on the huge restrictions on smoking which is subtle way of banning smoking. The intent is good here, but a ban against smoking is a law for irresponsibility. A smoker at the most is being irresponsible in managing his health. I think there are bigger irresponsibilities that the ruling government should be worried about such as alcohol. I would infact be really happy if such a strong law is framed for the corrupt. But no, in the country today, its more dangerous to be smoking than to be corrupt.
I bet talibanism started on that note too. With very good and religious intents. The danger is of a precedence being set, which can open the doors for many drastic, puritanic and sadistic laws.
There was again this case of salary increase where the MP's were given more than approved and later when the media highlighted it, the government withdrew it citing it as a typographical error.
The most recent issue was that of changing the time for the party goers. Minister MoIC, buys beautiful dress for his daughter and asks her to party at home and so, he feels justified that others should do the same too. Ego Centric or plain stupid??? Negative points to DPT.
Uptill not, to me it seems like a bad start by PDP, a good start by DPT with the present situation being the exact reverse.
I know they say it is the doer's who get criticized and its very easy to be sitting in a chair and commenting on what others do. But the state of things are such that, it really makes me wonder, what if PDP was in power.
I exercised my first power as a empowered democratic citizen. I went to vote for the Mayor. All the events that led to the day of the vote was interesting. There were friends who were trying to coerce me to vote for a particular candidate, I was trying to exercise my independent judgment on who I should vote for, and there was the general population talking about the preferred candidate. These factors make voting a very complex decision. I think many of the eligible voters were going similar dilemma as some of the voters i talked to while standing in line to vote hadn't decided who to vote for. Very interesting!
My independent analysis was confusing too. One candidate to me, by his qualifications seemed to better in probably making holistic decision for the betterment of the city. I didn't know him personally. The other candidate, i know him personally to an extent, but i know him very well professionally. In case of need of some services in the future, this candidate would definitely would be able to help me better as I can personally approach him because of our acquaintance. I have enough knowledge about his professional doings to know that i shouldn't vote for him.
The voting day came and i voted for the candidate who i thought would be better for the city than for myself. The candidate i voted for, lost unfortunately! I think i exercised my first democratic vote in a responsible manner. Today, when people ask me who i voted for, I say only god knows!
I am not talking about the smoke that we see in the mornings covering the thimphu city because of the bukhari's. I am talking about the smoke that we inhale and psychologically experience some pleasure.
It is a sad day for me today. I am onto my last packet of cigarette i had kept as stock incase it would be difficult to get a packet. I hoped that i would be able to quit by the time this stock finishes. Alas, my urge to smoke remains the same and in a day or two, legally, i am a criminal and playing my role in smuggling by buying cigarettes. It really saddens me that I am going to do something illegal, as i really aspire to be a law abiding productive citizen. I guess, a time comes when we are tested. For better or for worse, because of the will of the PASSIONATE lawmakers, i now stand at the gates of becoming a criminal, caught in act or not is a altogether different issue. In-principle, i already am.
I really wonder why the government did not take moderate steps in first banning the smoking in public places and imposing higher taxes. This method failing, i feel they could have taken drastic measures as they have now. The authorities proudly claim that they don't see smokers in the streets and public places now. The question is, couldn't they have achieved this by banning smoking in public places and placing huge fines for the defaulters?
If the intent was of being a responsible government in helping people do the right thing, shouldn't the government have proposed the banning of tobacco, alchohol and doma as one single act? I think our passionate law makers have really lost it this time, and principally, increased the number of un-law-abiding citizen in the country. I really wonder about the long term effects by this law. I m guessing it would probably increase the number of people, who take on to criminal doings, for what is the difference between breaking one law or more laws. As breaking the law becomes a norm and as smuggling becomes lucrative during times of high un-employment, the whole culture of the way people function might change drastically.
For the want of international recognition, i wonder if the government has faltered hugely and really changed the course of the way people think and behave.
The importance of institutional check and balance came to the forefront. An overwhelming majority presence of the ruling party, a minuscule opposition and a newly organized Judiciary! For the common people with a little sensibility and just following the excerpts in the media from the constitution, it was always very clear that raising the tax without endorsement from the parliament is unconstitutional. No expert was needed to render that clarification. The constitution being the mother of all laws, would govern.
For the ruling party, I have no doubts in my mind that a genuine mistake was made although with good intent. A show of humility and respect for the constitution by simply accepting the mistake and tabling it for discussion during the next parliament session would have earned them a lot of respect from the people. But it was not to be, they instead chose the messy path, walking the path of the feigned and delusional understanding of the law. They have lost credibility and faith of the people by this act. I think they stuck to their guns even though they knew they were in the wrong, because they never expected the opposition to go to the Judiciary. I think the ruling party should have sensed the seriousness of the opposition when they demanded the resignation of Finance Minister.
For the opposition party, I think they risked everything. Having just two MP representation, a decision from the court in favor of the ruling party by whatever reasoning would have caused irreparable damage to their standing as opposition party. For they great risk that they took and for the outcome that came in their favor i can only say, well done, well done. You are executing your mandate well. The next time any serious issue crops up, I think the ruling party will now take you more seriously.
For the Judiciary, I think they got lucky. The first constitutional case that was presented to them was a straight forward case because of the stupidity of the ruling party. The judiciary has executed their role and ruled fairly. I hope this sets a precedence of the many judgments that will have to be passed to clarify the constitution. I say this because, i have a feeling that not many of us understand and comprehend the implications of what we endorse in the form of the constitution and the many acts.
What all this brings out is, we are all humans and the necessity of check and balance institutions is very very important. The legislative ( Ruling and the opposition), the judiciary and the executive are basic institutional set ups. More institutions are needed for check and balance for a vibrant democracy. The Anti-Corruption Commission seems to be in need of empowerment. Corruption is a major danger for any democracy, especially for a small country like ours. I also wish to see the National Council adopting more drastic measures than just exercising their votes for helping Bhutan become a vibrant democracy. God bless our nation!
Update : The ruling govt has appealed to the supreme court. Politicking is on. Lyonchens remark that the high court ruling is a very narrow interpretation is a smart comment. He wants the court to read more than whats written. He is asking the courts to be legislators! Its a pity. And in all probability, the supreme court will rise to the occasion and see the need to differentiate between direct taxes and indirect taxes. It sad, although the intent from both the ruling govt and the supreme court is for the larger good! I think it will be a sad case of the legislative and the judiciary not being able to function independently. It will again be a proof of the short commings of a small society, where every one knows or are related to each other. It will again bring out the challenge of democracy in a sparely populated small nation. God save us all!!!!!!!!
