Why we should vote for the right party

As our kings' gift of democracy starts taking roots through their sheer hard work and guidance, we must not fail our part in making the right decisions from beginning only.

The experiences that we have gained from the only last five years of democracy must be tapped in when we choose the party to govern us for the next five years. The election for the parliament in 2013 will be a big opportunity and one of the most important occasions in the country.  Being landlocked between two giants of the world, every move we make must be precarious and diligent that we can continue to fulfill visions of monarchs. This is why the election is one of the important aspects of democracy so that majority decides who should be governing the public. This way we can fix the accountability on what they are doing. 

What would be the right party to be chosen during the 2013 Election? Without a doubt, the party who can enhance the security and the sovereignty of the nation. Though pledges that can improve the livelihood of the people must be also encapsulated to the party's objectivity in keeping the country safe at all the time. If we look not even far from the region, we can see that elections are mostly treated as the tools for disintegrating the unity of the country. We must be careful about the election. Meanwhile, the electorate must not forget that each one of us has a responsibility to vote for the right party rather than viewing election is not worth to participate. In the end, this will be the grand failure on our part. 

Any party coming to the power must not dare for an aberrance from the foundation built by successive monarchs. This has kept the country on the right line for more than a century. It must give efforts on how to build a system that can handle the current scenario and which will enable the country to grow from strength to strength in the future. 

The party also needs capable candidates to form the government and a leader who is not only capable of leading the country internally but who has also sound knowledge of international and regional issues. I was told that our successive monarchs in the past were always aware of what is happening globally and taking necessary steps inside the country though they had less opportunity to learn how international relations work in the globe. One thing we are assured is that His Majesty the King is there to guide the country when it comes to Security and Sovereignty of the country including when there is a major decision to take in the account of external relations of the country- that has a direct impact on the country security. 

Let's fulfill His Majesty's vision to have a successful democracy system by voting for the right party. Let us make a sense and wise judgment and not live under the pressure of bribe and lies of politicians.

Table below is abstracted from:

http://www.electionbhutan.org.bt/REGISTEROFPOLITICALPARTY/

REGISTER OF POLITICAL PARTIES

Sl No.	Name of Political Party	Name of Election Symbol	Name of the Party President	Date of Registration	Registration Number
1.	DRUK PHUENSUM TSHOGPA	THRUNG THRUNG KARM	LYONPO JIGME Y. THINLEY	02/10/2007	ECBDERPP 07100202
2.	PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC PARTY	WHITE HORSE	LYONPO SANGAY NGEDUP	01/09/2007	ECBDERPP 07090101
3.	BHUTAN KUEN-NYAM PARTY	KUEN-NYAM KHORLO	SONAM TOBGAY (Interim)	03/01/2013	ECB/DER/PP/ 130010303
4.	DRUK CHIRWANG TSHOGPA	SWAN	LILY WANGCHUK	07/01/2013	ECB/DER/PP/ 13010704
5.
6.
7.

Author: Sangay Needup     

My village is Connected with Road

It will be always a big event for me to go to Pemagatshel, to see Gypsum trucks plying on the motor road when I was studying at my village in the nineties. I had to always beg my father and other families to take me with them whenever they go to Pemagatshel; almost a day walk from my village with some stuff on the back. Upon returning, I would be wildly boastful to my friends who have never been to the motor road, telling stories about the vehicle's speed and its sounds, and how drivers are pulling steering at turnings. I use to confidently answer their queries though most of them are self-made knowledge fewer motor vehicles.  These days I feel shy to talk to my friends who have taken the occupation of Truck Driver from my village.

The motor road heading towards Gewog center

I remember seeing the motor road and a truck for the first time in 1995 when I was 11 years old.  I still remember the difficulties my parents have faced to reach me at school, walking for two days and returning home three times a year: beginning, mid, and end of the year. I believe my self that those difficulties resulted in some of my friends dropping from the school after passing primary school based in the village. 

I remember that the village meetings used to be dominated by requests for the motorable road in the village. People have been requesting the government since the early 80s for the road. Some people would urge leaders to take this issue with the government. Village people would not know which sectors' officials are visiting in the village, they would go asking randomly the reason for denying road after the road surveys for several times since 1984. I 1984 I was born to this village and my countrymen's seemed to be requesting for this long.  

The road has finally come to my village in September 2012 after 28 years of first road survey in my village. The villagers are worth being connected since their hard works on the farm went into vain as there were no means and possibilities to sell the farming products in the market without a motorable road.  Now I can see the relief and enjoyment in their faces and in fact old people couldn’t believe themselves traveling in a car when they are visiting like hospitals and other places. It is a long dream come true for the people of Kengkhar Gewog.

Now people from the village living in other parts of the country have started to visit frequently and people saw coming projects and financial assistance for the preservation of 13 Traditional Art and Craft which is popular in the village. I am sincerely praying that the traditional art and craft once-popular is on the verge of dying to be revived with the connection of motor roads. Younger generations refuse to learn it from old folks given there is no market for them to sell the product even if have skills. As an initiative of one of the projects, the villagers celebrated 2012 National Day with farmers from Samtse, Zhemgang, and Tsirang to promote cultural exchange which brought new ideas to the villagers. Had there been no motor roads, such initiatives would not have happened. 

I saw my friends who are driving trucks and villagers are now busy exporting oranges during the winter season [visited parents and relatives in the village in 2012].   I am happy to see that people do not have to carry oranges on their back to the nearest motor roads as we did in the past.  I can already see positive transformation of the livelihood of people in my village due to the road. God bless them always!