CSO registration on hold

The registration of new civil society organisations (CSO) is expected to be delayed indefinitely.

Earlier, Civil Society Organization Authority (CSOA) announced that all organisations functioning as civil society organisations should register with the authority before December 31, 2011.

However, after the recent transfer of senior government officials, the deadline could not be met because the CSOA board needs to be reconstituted.

With the former secretary of Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs (MoHCA), Dasho Penden Wangchuk, transferred as the cabinet secretary and the former director general of Ministry of Finance (MoF), Nima Wangdi, promoted as the health secretary, the CSOA board lost two of its members.

Civil Society Organisation Act of Bhutan states that the CSOA board shall comprise a senior official from MoF appointed by the finance minister and an eminent lawyer with knowledge and experience of laws relating to CSOs recommended by the attorney general.

A senior official from MoHCA appointed by the home minister is the member secretary of the authority.

Dasho Penden Wangchuk was the chairperson of the board.

Kinchho Norbu, the member secretary of CSOA, said the authority has written to the chairperson, who in turn has written to MoF to nominate a board member. The authority is awaiting a response from MoF.

The CSOA board is yet to elect two full-time members on the board from the existing CSOs to constitute the full body. Currently, interim members from the CSOs sit on the board.

Meanwhile, many CSOs are eagerly waiting to register with CSOA so that they can carry out activities like fundraising, which only registered CSOs are allowed to do.

The CSO act of Bhutan requires all CSOs to register with CSOA within three months of its establishment.

In 2010 and 2011, 22 CSOs have been registered with CSOA. Eight more are in the pipeline.

By Tandin Pem