Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Secular skills in a spiritual world... Modernization!!!
Monk Dendup Tshering, a teacher with the Trashigang dratshang, saw his friends use computers to communicate with their relatives.
He often wondered how that was possible. Not anymore.
Last week, Dendup Tshering got introduced to the basics of computer and is already familiar with the technology.
“It’s impossible to think of carrying out activities in this modern age without the help of such devices,” he said. “People are privileged.”
As a part of the Chiphen Rigphel project, Dendup Tshering is among 27 monks, serving as umze, lopens, tsedrungs and mangdrungs from monastic schools in eastern dzongkhags, who are being given basic computer training.
Umze Gomba Tshering from Pemagatshel dratshang is equally impressed.
“You can get a job done with just a click,” said the 30-year old, who handled a computer for the first time last week. “Any information you need is right there.”
Some have already planned to juice the best out of whatever they have learned.
Monk Sonam Dorji said he would use computers to prepare questions for his students and to maintain the school’s records.
“It’ll prove to be very convenient for us to document important scriptures,” another monk, Yeshi, said.
Many also said they are now aware of how the internet can be used to propagate Buddhism and pursue researches on different subjects.
But the monks feel being unable to read or write in English barred them from utilising the technology fully.
Training instructor, Sonam Peljor from the Dzongkha Development Training Institute, said there was no doubt that monks without English language knowledge faced problems while using computers.
“But their interest to learn is commendable,” he said. “They’re picking up very fast.” The training in Mongar will end on June 9.
By Dechen Tshering
He often wondered how that was possible. Not anymore.
Last week, Dendup Tshering got introduced to the basics of computer and is already familiar with the technology.
“It’s impossible to think of carrying out activities in this modern age without the help of such devices,” he said. “People are privileged.”
As a part of the Chiphen Rigphel project, Dendup Tshering is among 27 monks, serving as umze, lopens, tsedrungs and mangdrungs from monastic schools in eastern dzongkhags, who are being given basic computer training.
Umze Gomba Tshering from Pemagatshel dratshang is equally impressed.
“You can get a job done with just a click,” said the 30-year old, who handled a computer for the first time last week. “Any information you need is right there.”
Some have already planned to juice the best out of whatever they have learned.
Monk Sonam Dorji said he would use computers to prepare questions for his students and to maintain the school’s records.
“It’ll prove to be very convenient for us to document important scriptures,” another monk, Yeshi, said.
Many also said they are now aware of how the internet can be used to propagate Buddhism and pursue researches on different subjects.
But the monks feel being unable to read or write in English barred them from utilising the technology fully.
Training instructor, Sonam Peljor from the Dzongkha Development Training Institute, said there was no doubt that monks without English language knowledge faced problems while using computers.
“But their interest to learn is commendable,” he said. “They’re picking up very fast.” The training in Mongar will end on June 9.
By Dechen Tshering
 |
| This sure is the development.. |
Jokes
0 to 200 in 6 seconds
Bob was in trouble. He forgot his wedding anniversary. His wife was
really pissed.
She told him "Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the
driveway that goes from 0 to 200 in 6 seconds AND IT BETTER BE THERE !!"
The next morning he got up early and left for work. When his wife woke
up, she looked out the window and sure enough there was a box
gift-wrapped in the middle of the driveway.
Confused, the wife put on her robe and ran out to the driveway, brought
the box back in the house.
She opened it and found a brand new bathroom scale.
Bob has been missing since Friday.
Bob was in trouble. He forgot his wedding anniversary. His wife was
really pissed.
She told him "Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the
driveway that goes from 0 to 200 in 6 seconds AND IT BETTER BE THERE !!"
The next morning he got up early and left for work. When his wife woke
up, she looked out the window and sure enough there was a box
gift-wrapped in the middle of the driveway.
Confused, the wife put on her robe and ran out to the driveway, brought
the box back in the house.
She opened it and found a brand new bathroom scale.
Bob has been missing since Friday.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Third aircraft joins fleet - Drukair
With a colourful chipdrel ceremony, the national airline welcomed its third aircraft to Bhutan on Saturday.
Drukair has leased a 48-seater European built aircraft to operate between its short haul routes, such as Kolkata, India, and Kathmandu, Nepal. The lease includes the option to purchase the aircraft.
The aircraft will be operating to Kolkata and Kathmandu on a daily basis. With the smaller aircraft having a smaller fuel consumption footprint than the airbus jets, the airline is expecting to save on operating costs.
Drukair also expects to operate the ATR 42-500 aircraft on the domestic sector, which is tentatively scheduled to begin sometime between July-August. But the department of civil aviation has not cleared the ATR 42-500 to operate domestically yet. Drukair will be conducting test flights to satisfy civil aviation that the aircraft can safely operate on the shorter runways of Batpalathang and Yongphula.
If the aircraft is passed, the airline will operate domestic flights before 9am and at 50 percent load capacity to ensure optimal performance of the aircraft.
The airline is also looking at the government to charter the aircraft for scenic flights and other purposes.
The arrival of the ATR was delayed by about three weeks, causing some scheduled flight disruptions. One of the reasons for the delay included having the aircraft painted in Drukair colours.
Despite the addition of a third aircraft to its fleet, Drukair still requires one more airbus jet to expand its network to include other cities like Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai, and Bangalore. Drukair is expecting its fourth aircraft next year.
By Gyalsten K Dorji
http://www.kuenselonline.com/2010/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=19654
Drukair has leased a 48-seater European built aircraft to operate between its short haul routes, such as Kolkata, India, and Kathmandu, Nepal. The lease includes the option to purchase the aircraft.
The aircraft will be operating to Kolkata and Kathmandu on a daily basis. With the smaller aircraft having a smaller fuel consumption footprint than the airbus jets, the airline is expecting to save on operating costs.
 |
| A traditional welcome for Druk Air’s third aircraft. |
If the aircraft is passed, the airline will operate domestic flights before 9am and at 50 percent load capacity to ensure optimal performance of the aircraft.
The airline is also looking at the government to charter the aircraft for scenic flights and other purposes.
The arrival of the ATR was delayed by about three weeks, causing some scheduled flight disruptions. One of the reasons for the delay included having the aircraft painted in Drukair colours.
Despite the addition of a third aircraft to its fleet, Drukair still requires one more airbus jet to expand its network to include other cities like Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai, and Bangalore. Drukair is expecting its fourth aircraft next year.
By Gyalsten K Dorji
http://www.kuenselonline.com/2010/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=19654
Out of the kitchen and into the campaign
The mother of two is all geared for the upcoming local government elections. She is up against three male contestants.
But Tshering Wangmo, 32, who is running for the post of gup in Guma gewog, Punakha, recalls having a rough ride right from the moment she stepped into the election process. At one time, she almost gave up her candidature.
“From the start, I’ve constantly been reminded of being a woman,” Tshering Wangmo said. “Many feel women aren’t fit to become leaders. Some said it to my face.”
She said her opponents were using the gender card to campaign against her. “But there’s nothing a woman can’t do,” she said.
But Tshering Wangmo is one of the lucky ones. There are those, who could not stand the heat.
Dechen Choden, who could not make it from the nomination round, while attempting for a gup’s post in Talo gewog, said being a female proved to be a major drawback.
“I have no evidence to show, but so much negative campaigning went on,” said Dechen. “People were made to believe women have no place in decision making positions.”
Dechen predicts it will be an arduous journey for women candidates in this election process. “Everyone says there’s equal opportunity for men and women, but the ground reality is different,” she said.
Although further breakups are not available, of the 2,194 candidates contesting for various local government posts, names of female candidates sparsely punctuate a long list of male contestants.
And going by what they have to say, appears like the handful of female candidates remaining are not having an easy time.
In Punakha, Tshering Wangmo said her friends in other gewogs suffered, owing to so-called traditional requirements.
“As per the tradition, gups play a major role during occasions like dromchoe and ride horses,” she said. “Many believe women gups can’t, at any rate, perform such rituals.” In Tsirang, gup candidate Leki Dema said there were elections rules that did not favour women.
“For one, we were asked to travel alone while campaigning,” the 27-year old said. “This would deter many women from participating in future, because it’s about one’s safety.”
Almost 800 women had registered for the functional literacy tests election commission conducted, but about 50 percent had not turned up for the tests. Even lesser had decided not to participate in the elections.
Observers, following the elections closely, attributed this to failure of concerned agencies to address the practical side of issues women faced, despite having the policies in place.
“While there could be other reasons, it’s definitely not easy for women to step outside their homes to assume a public role,” one said. “They have to consider family and household responsibilities they shoulder.”
Against all these, government’s national plan of action for gender reveals a target of achieving five percent female gup, another five percent mangmi and seven percent tshogpa representation in the local government by 2013.
Until 2006, female representation comprised of one percent gup, 2.5 percent mangmi and 4.2 percent tshogpa.
Some said having more women at the tshogpa level was obvious since nobody wanted the post. Gup and mangmi posts, on the other hand, came with attractive incentives and women were expected to encounter fiercer competition.
While National Commission for Women and Children officials are well aware achieving the set target would be difficult, they said initiatives that enabled women to come into public sphere were well underway.
“This is the first local government elections of its sort, so people will be skeptical to join,” one official from the commission said, adding however to study the behavioral pattern of elections, including women participation, it was an international norm to study at least three elections.
But some observers asked whether numbers, in terms of female representation, really mattered.
While some argued that, in a democracy, it was about making the voices heard, which was determined by the right number, or the majority; others said it was about representation in the right forum, which need not necessarily be gender driven.
Parliament member Tashi Wangmo said women’s physical representation was pushed mostly as a western ideology; but, in Bhutan, where it was essential for a society to coexist, it was more important for genders to complement each other and take care of issues.
“But yes women always have to be mindful of who’ll take over other responsibilities they have when they step out to take up public roles,” she said. “Unless men are willing, it’s not going to be easy for them.”
By Kesang Dema
http://www.kuenselonline.com/2010/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=19643
Women can stand in any positions they want to...
But Tshering Wangmo, 32, who is running for the post of gup in Guma gewog, Punakha, recalls having a rough ride right from the moment she stepped into the election process. At one time, she almost gave up her candidature.
“From the start, I’ve constantly been reminded of being a woman,” Tshering Wangmo said. “Many feel women aren’t fit to become leaders. Some said it to my face.”
She said her opponents were using the gender card to campaign against her. “But there’s nothing a woman can’t do,” she said.
But Tshering Wangmo is one of the lucky ones. There are those, who could not stand the heat.
Dechen Choden, who could not make it from the nomination round, while attempting for a gup’s post in Talo gewog, said being a female proved to be a major drawback.
“I have no evidence to show, but so much negative campaigning went on,” said Dechen. “People were made to believe women have no place in decision making positions.”
Dechen predicts it will be an arduous journey for women candidates in this election process. “Everyone says there’s equal opportunity for men and women, but the ground reality is different,” she said.
Although further breakups are not available, of the 2,194 candidates contesting for various local government posts, names of female candidates sparsely punctuate a long list of male contestants.
And going by what they have to say, appears like the handful of female candidates remaining are not having an easy time.
In Punakha, Tshering Wangmo said her friends in other gewogs suffered, owing to so-called traditional requirements.
“As per the tradition, gups play a major role during occasions like dromchoe and ride horses,” she said. “Many believe women gups can’t, at any rate, perform such rituals.” In Tsirang, gup candidate Leki Dema said there were elections rules that did not favour women.
“For one, we were asked to travel alone while campaigning,” the 27-year old said. “This would deter many women from participating in future, because it’s about one’s safety.”
Almost 800 women had registered for the functional literacy tests election commission conducted, but about 50 percent had not turned up for the tests. Even lesser had decided not to participate in the elections.
Observers, following the elections closely, attributed this to failure of concerned agencies to address the practical side of issues women faced, despite having the policies in place.
“While there could be other reasons, it’s definitely not easy for women to step outside their homes to assume a public role,” one said. “They have to consider family and household responsibilities they shoulder.”
Against all these, government’s national plan of action for gender reveals a target of achieving five percent female gup, another five percent mangmi and seven percent tshogpa representation in the local government by 2013.
Until 2006, female representation comprised of one percent gup, 2.5 percent mangmi and 4.2 percent tshogpa.
Some said having more women at the tshogpa level was obvious since nobody wanted the post. Gup and mangmi posts, on the other hand, came with attractive incentives and women were expected to encounter fiercer competition.
While National Commission for Women and Children officials are well aware achieving the set target would be difficult, they said initiatives that enabled women to come into public sphere were well underway.
“This is the first local government elections of its sort, so people will be skeptical to join,” one official from the commission said, adding however to study the behavioral pattern of elections, including women participation, it was an international norm to study at least three elections.
But some observers asked whether numbers, in terms of female representation, really mattered.
While some argued that, in a democracy, it was about making the voices heard, which was determined by the right number, or the majority; others said it was about representation in the right forum, which need not necessarily be gender driven.
Parliament member Tashi Wangmo said women’s physical representation was pushed mostly as a western ideology; but, in Bhutan, where it was essential for a society to coexist, it was more important for genders to complement each other and take care of issues.
“But yes women always have to be mindful of who’ll take over other responsibilities they have when they step out to take up public roles,” she said. “Unless men are willing, it’s not going to be easy for them.”
By Kesang Dema
http://www.kuenselonline.com/2010/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=19643
Women can stand in any positions they want to...
No BoB shares to public
After all the hype that went on for months, the country’s oldest and most lucrative bank, the Bank of Bhutan, will not be divesting its shares to the public.
Following a meeting yesterday between the central bank and Druk Holding and Investments (DHI), BoB received a letter stating that divestment of its shares, which the central bank had been pushing for months, had been called off.
The bank was not fined Nu 100,000 by the central bank for missing the prospectus submission deadline on June 1. The central bank had also announced that, after June 14, it would take appropriate action if the deadline was dishonoured.
The shares of BoB were expected to be priced between Nu 600 to Nu 1,000 considering the book value of Nu 600 a share although correct valuation of the share was not carried out by DHI.
“We’re glad divestment will no more take place,” the DHI chief executive officer, Karma Yonten, said. But he sounded a little uncertain
Officials of the central bank had no comments on the issue.
The tussle between the central bank and the bank’s major shareholder DHI started last year. However, according to previous interviews with RMA officials, the central bank asked the bank to go public as early as 2007.
The issue was also seriously debated in parliament during the previous session, when most of the national council members stood against it. After that, the financial services bill, which will replace the financial institutions act of 1992, was adopted during the present session.
RMA showed little signs of backtracking its decision on divestment, saying that the bank will have to divest, and that RMA still had the law in its hand, since the FSB was not yet fully adopted without royal assent.
The justifications of both RMA and parliament members, who stood against divestment, have been valid, according to observers, and whether divestment will or will not take place was uncertain.
RMA mentioned that 90 percent of the bank’s money belongs to the public, therefore giving legal right to the public to own shares. Governor Daw Tenzin, during an earlier interview, said money from the bank’s shareholder cannot run the bank for more than two days.
Diversification will also improve the bank’s corporate governance.
On the other hand, members of parliament said divestment will not necessarily diversify the bank’s ownership. Showing details of the erstwhile profitable government-owned companies, they said that majority of the shares were mainly held by a few groups of rich individuals.
Members of parliament also said the government has the constitutional mandate of meeting recurrent expenditure from domestic revenue. BoB contributed Nu 115M in the past two years.
Divestment would mean the government would forego a certain amount of dividends and fail to meet the constitutional mandate.
Henceforth, divestment of government-owned financial institutions will solely rest with the government. The new financial services bill, which will repeal the financial institutions act of 1992, provides the government the right to list with the securities exchange or not. The bill also reduced many of RMA’s discretionary roles.
http://www.kuenselonline.com/2010/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=19646
Following a meeting yesterday between the central bank and Druk Holding and Investments (DHI), BoB received a letter stating that divestment of its shares, which the central bank had been pushing for months, had been called off.
The bank was not fined Nu 100,000 by the central bank for missing the prospectus submission deadline on June 1. The central bank had also announced that, after June 14, it would take appropriate action if the deadline was dishonoured.
The shares of BoB were expected to be priced between Nu 600 to Nu 1,000 considering the book value of Nu 600 a share although correct valuation of the share was not carried out by DHI.
“We’re glad divestment will no more take place,” the DHI chief executive officer, Karma Yonten, said. But he sounded a little uncertain
Officials of the central bank had no comments on the issue.
The tussle between the central bank and the bank’s major shareholder DHI started last year. However, according to previous interviews with RMA officials, the central bank asked the bank to go public as early as 2007.
The issue was also seriously debated in parliament during the previous session, when most of the national council members stood against it. After that, the financial services bill, which will replace the financial institutions act of 1992, was adopted during the present session.
RMA showed little signs of backtracking its decision on divestment, saying that the bank will have to divest, and that RMA still had the law in its hand, since the FSB was not yet fully adopted without royal assent.
The justifications of both RMA and parliament members, who stood against divestment, have been valid, according to observers, and whether divestment will or will not take place was uncertain.
RMA mentioned that 90 percent of the bank’s money belongs to the public, therefore giving legal right to the public to own shares. Governor Daw Tenzin, during an earlier interview, said money from the bank’s shareholder cannot run the bank for more than two days.
Diversification will also improve the bank’s corporate governance.
On the other hand, members of parliament said divestment will not necessarily diversify the bank’s ownership. Showing details of the erstwhile profitable government-owned companies, they said that majority of the shares were mainly held by a few groups of rich individuals.
Members of parliament also said the government has the constitutional mandate of meeting recurrent expenditure from domestic revenue. BoB contributed Nu 115M in the past two years.
Divestment would mean the government would forego a certain amount of dividends and fail to meet the constitutional mandate.
Henceforth, divestment of government-owned financial institutions will solely rest with the government. The new financial services bill, which will repeal the financial institutions act of 1992, provides the government the right to list with the securities exchange or not. The bill also reduced many of RMA’s discretionary roles.
http://www.kuenselonline.com/2010/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=19646
Bhutan Wins Four Medals
Bhutan won a total of four medals in the 8th South Asian Men’s Body Building Championship which ended yesterday.
Lobzang Tshering won a gold medal in the 60 kilogram weight category. Wangchen got a silver medal and Tshering Dorji a bronze medal in 85 kilogram category. The fourth medal, a bronze was won by Deepak Lepcha in the 55 kilogram category.
The most coveted prize, the Mr. South Asia title went to Bobby Singh of India. Afghanistan was declared the best body building team.
The championship is the first international sporting event to be hosted by Bhutan.
Lobzang Tshering won a gold medal in the 60 kilogram weight category. Wangchen got a silver medal and Tshering Dorji a bronze medal in 85 kilogram category. The fourth medal, a bronze was won by Deepak Lepcha in the 55 kilogram category.The most coveted prize, the Mr. South Asia title went to Bobby Singh of India. Afghanistan was declared the best body building team.
The championship is the first international sporting event to be hosted by Bhutan.
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