Entertainment rule unfair, says bar owner
20 March 2009
A bar and restaurant owner in Paro had his licence revoked for providing entertainment, after a fight broke out in 2007.
Paro Dzongrab Namgyal Rinchen said, “The fight was severe. One of the police officers was beaten up by the drunkards who were the customers of Dragon Entertainment. We withheld his licence on the ground that no such entertainment can be established on bar and restaurant licence.
” Dragon Entertainment owner, Chencho Samten, who opened his live musical and entertainment venue in 2007, disagreed with the decision saying, “When I went some days later to appeal for my licence, the dzongkhag authority told me that it was not legal to run entertainment business on bar licence. I was asked to obtain an entertainment licence. Do all live musical entertainment bars in the country have licence? No one has it.”
Jigme Wangdi, spokesperson for Bhutan InfoComm and Media Authority (BICMA), said, “Entertainment business licence has never been issued before. The live musical shows in bars evolved over time. In fact, it was only after the Paro controversy that it occurred to us that something should be done about it. And so we are in the process of working towards it.”
Samten said he approached Paro Dzongda through an influential government official.
“It was only then that the Dzongda took the matter seriously and hence laid before me certain conditions to carry on with the business – that I will need to produce an entertainment licence, the entertainment hall must be insulated with sound proof, must have an exhaust fan, and must have fire extinguishers.
“So I had to pester the trade Director to issue a licence because, if I went home empty-handed, the dzongkhag authorities wouldn’t allow me to earn my bread and butter. The trade Director finally directed me to BICMA,” said Samten.
Samten applied for the licence and obtained one on May 26, 2008, after strict and detailed inspection by the inspectors from BICMA.
However, there are many live musical entertainment bars spread across the country without the special entertainment licence.
“What is live musical entertainment licence? I have never heard of such a licence!” said Yogesh, the proprietor of Thimphu’s live musical extravaganza bar, Takzim.
Similarly, in Bumthang, Tandin, proprietor of Tandin Basic Pool and Discotheque, which was established in 2006, had also not heard of a live musical entertainment licence.
Karma, the owner of Gaden Trophel in Paro said, “Though my building may not have exterior sound proof built on it, the structure is such that little or no sound can be heard outside. The officials from BICMA came over to my place and have certified it.”
Ngawang, one of the inspection members from BICMA confirmed the lack of exhaust fan in Gaden bar during their inspection prior to the approval of a licence.
“It may seem that we are being partial to Dragon Entertainment, but it is not so. We are strictly in line with the government rules and regulations. We are looking into the matter,” said Nado Rigay, Paro municipal engineer.
Samten remains unconvinced. “A few months ago, the Paro Dzongda himself verbally asked the Gaden proprietor to stop his business at once because his entertainment hall lacked the necessary facilities. However, now I know, it is all talk.”
Samten said that his monthly expenses exceeded his monthly income. With 11 staff, he pays more than Nu 60,000 a month in wages. Like the other entertainment bars in town, if he was permitted to run his business elsewhere without extra facilities, he believes he could bring down the monthly rental fee to Nu 5000.
Samten said that his only wish is to be treated with ‘equity and justice.’
By Tshering Penjore
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Loading ...Zakar for Friday September 10 2010
02nd Day of the 08th Month - Iron Male Tiger Year
Auspicious for: Only for carrying out daily chores and offerings.
Inauspicious for: Construction of new ten-sum, conducting consecration and blessing ceremonies, arranging marriage, celebrating wedding, starting education, starting construction of new house, shifting new house, handing and taking over anything, making and taking medicine, starting business, calling upon superior, and undertaking long journey.
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most dzongrabs are class ten pass out i****s who can never advance further but want to authority in olden ways and crazy about tittle dasho.
they never slove problems of people but asked people to hide prolems with threat of dire consequences when his majesty and royal family visits.
that woman could have begged dzongda and dzongrab to satisfy their ego.