Democracy behind closed doors
26 June 2009
The National Assembly is a stage and all its members merely absurd players. That is all you know in Bhutan, and all you need to know.
The NA members, excluding the two opposition members, say that live telecast of the entire proceedings should be stopped. And the reasons are undemocratic at best, and at worst, absurd.
Reason number one. Our people would not be interested in some issues discussed by the Assembly, or, even if they are, they would not understand the deliberation. First, this is a lopsided assumption. Our people have always been genuinely excited about live coverage of the parliament proceedings. Second, the MPs cannot underestimate the democratic worth of our people. That will undermine their rights. And that’s exactly what’s happening.
Reason number two. Some MPs ‘act’ when the proceedings are covered live. Let them act. Viewers and observers are not fools. If they act smart without being one, it is to the detriment of their image and credibility. Let viewers, or rather voters, judge who fools are and who lawmakers are in the Assembly. Let things play out democratically and let the voters watch their representatives in action.
Reason number three. A large majority of our people has no access to TV. Does it mean that the whole country should forgo the benefits of every modern technology we use, including the internet? Let those who have access to TV watch the proceedings and let talks make their rounds across the country.
Reason number four. There is no true debate when the proceedings are broadcast live, meaning that MPs either shy away from the debate or become uncontrollably vocal. In any case, these are their shortcomings. To conceal shortcomings is not democratic. Some MPs have hardly stood up and made a point. Their voters want to see them make their points. Some MPs, on the other hand, have talked themselves into absurdity. The voters want to see whether they talk sense this time around or become more absurd.
Reason number five. Cost. Live coverage of the proceedings will be costly for BBS. Thank you for the concern, very much indeed. But other things that are of less public benefit have cost us more. Let the BBS decide if it can, and more importantly, if it will cover the proceedings live.
Our constitution clearly says that the proceedings of parliament should be conducted in public except when there is a compelling need to safeguard public order and national security. In any other case, let the media and the public decide how the parliament proceedings should be viewed.
Loading ...
Comments
9 Responses to “Democracy behind closed doors”
Leave your comment
Loading ...Zakar for Thursday September 02 2010
th Day of the th Month - Year
Auspicious for:
Inauspicious for:
Recently Updated
- Nganglam needs the same favours
- Yangphel open archery tournament in the quarters
- Meet the wicked lady of Bhutanese films
- From dung to clean energy
- Contractors appeal to PM to solve stone shortage crisis
- Villagers cry foul of farm road alignment
- Tor Jap – hurling ritual cakes
- PTC teachers need professional incentives
- Tudors win easy over Aspens
- 136 power tillers distributed
Popular Articles
- Building and selling skills (535)
- Coming of the new God (270)
- Bhutan’s GDP growth up (80)
- Archery range still threatens lives (55)
- In peace, the King sleeps (40)
- First Bhutanese to run world-class marathon (378)
- Bhutan runs NY marathon (333)
- Burning a mountain with a single thought (203)
- Buddhas and Bars (159)
- Of those 6 months in Phuenthsoling (51)
Archives
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| « May | Jul » | |||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 | |||||
I have a degree and also took two years course in structure of modern government (SMG) but i really fail to understand democracy in Bhutan or should read as demo-crazy! Didn’t bhutanese made a mistake? Why DPT?
Editor, thank you so much for bringing up the concern of Bhutanese. That is exactly what i felt when the speaker came up all those absurd excuses. I hope our Government come to their senses and let the live telecast continue. We were all a bunch of fools for voting DPT to a landslide victory, and now we are finding out the drawbacks of being without a strong opposition.
This is very sad and disgusting to hear that parliamentary session would not be live telecast.
I would suggest our politicians not to forget GNH and vibrant Democracy.
They should not forget they are public servant and it’s their duty to perform up to satisfaction. In the democracy people are supreme not the politicians and we own every single right.
We voted them, must represent the people.
The call is very undemocratic and unacceptable as per the law of democracy.
I can’t believe our politicians taking advantages of public silence and less opposition in the assembly. We regretted for not pulling vote intelligently. The lame excuses by speaker and by other politicians offered us lesson, its time to react before too late. We the people of Bhutan must rethink for coming election in the year 2013.
Desperately sounds that elected “MP and MINISTERS” are not respecting people of Bhutan. I am concern, by not telecasting live; it is step against the ideology of our “God Father” fourth King. That shows “GNH” is philosophical term only to be set in the sheet to impress book worms.
this is the biggest mistake sadly commited by DPT…sooner or later the result will ripe…. by-the future expected prim minister…
i do not understand why the rights of the people are deprived by denying the access to watch live telecast of NA proceedings. this is also a deprivation of media rights. by doing so, i have absolutely no idea what do our MPs and ministers mean by lecturing time and again “vibrant democracy in bhutan.” just saying is not enough, they really have to mean and act accordingly. i being one of the concerned citizens of this nation would like to pledge the concerned to resume the livetelecast of NA proceedings. this is not only the rights of the people but also the responsibility of the ruling party to deliver to the people of this nation, Palden Drukpa.
Thank you Bhutan Observer for highlighting the absurdity of this decision. It seems that the Parliament is acting against the constitution. Shouldn’t the judiciary as the guardian of the constitution step in.
there should be no moderator in democratic country…if there is moderatore, then there will be no democracy… democracy simply means freedom…pl sir moderator, can u pl remain aside…so that our true messages could be heard by the people? pl understand…if not we really feel obstracted by so called moderator….
with respect
i write this simply because my feelings are never on the page…i dont know why?