The Lyonchen’s office

26 April 2008

The new government is in place but whether there should be any political appointment in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is a general apprehension.

Some say the appointees should be civil servants while other says that some members of the Druk Phuentsum Tshogpa should also be appointed.

The structure of the PMO has been submitted for approval to the Prime Minister, Lyonchen Jigmi Y. Thinley.

In other parliaments, the PMO, comprising political employees, supports the Prime Minister in carrying out the functions demanded of a head of government and of a leader of a political party and Member of Parliament.

In Bhutan, The PMO will support and provide secretarial services to the Prime Minister.
According to the Draft Constitution, the executive power shall be vested in the Lhengye Zhungtshog which shall consist of the Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.

The Cabinet Secretary, Dasho Sherub Tenzin, told Observer that as per what has been already exercised, the structure of the PMO has been kept open. It could either be civil servants or political appointments.

“The new government will decide on this,” he said.However, the National Assembly Secretary, Nima Tshering said, there should not be any political appointments. “I don’t think Prime Minister will mix executive works with political works,” he said.

He supposes that all staff will be from the civil service.However, the party and the bureaucracy will work together in the interest of the nation. Both will maintain position as separate responsibilities.

Political body is a legislative body to pass laws, bureaucrats are to follow laws and judiciary to implement laws, he said.

To substantiate Nima Tshering, an official from RCSC said that civil servants are supposed to remain apolitical as per civil service rules or politicians should not be civil servants. However, he said that the structure of the PMO will have to be deliberated.

However, the Secretary of DPT, Thinley Gyamtsho, feels that there should be some political appointments in the PMO as it would ease the communication link between the party and the PMO.

“The party office will have to deal with the Prime Minister who is also the party president, and report any public issues. If there is no link, works will get overlapped,” he said.

Dr Saamdu Chetri of the party feels strongly about having some political appointments in the PMO. He said that appointments would serve as a bridge between the Prime Minister and the political office, cabinet and the Thuemis.

The Cabinet Secretariat will support the PM on bureaucratic functions and for political works, he feels that there should be something like a political secretariat. However, he added, “ultimately it will be the decision of the Prime Minister.”

Nonetheless, an observer feels that political appointments may not be there as it may raise conflict of interest between the political appointees and bureaucrats.

The opposition leader, Tshering Tobgay, said the Prime Minister will need support based on his duties and responsibilities. “Whether the appointees should be political appointments or civil servants have to be seen,” he said.

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Tshogpon Jigme Tshultim, said the system of political appointment is followed in the outside world. However, in Bhutan, where a new government was just formed, “appointment will depend on the Prime Minister,” he said.
Deliberations are on and things will come in place after a few days with a final decision from the Lyonchen.