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Bhutan Politics |
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Bhutan Politics |
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His
Majesty addresses the nation |
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His
Majesty's National Day address 2004
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December
20, 2004
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| HM King Jigme Singye Wangchuck |
Today,
as we celebrate the auspicious occasion of our National Day, there is good
reason for all of us to be grateful and happy that we no longer face the
serious threat to the security of our country from the presence of the
militants over the last many years.
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As
our people are aware, the national Constitution Committee started the important
task of drafting the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan from 2001.
I
am happy to announce that we have now completed the Draft Constitution
and it has been presented to the Lhengye Zhungtshog.
In drafting
the Constitution, the greatest importance was attached to safeguarding
and strengthening the sovereignty and security of our nation and promoting
the interest and well being of the Bhutanese people. The highest importance
was also attached to the establishment of parliamentary democracy and a
system of government that will provide good governance and fulfill the
aspirations of our people.
The
Draft Constitution will be distributed to all the twenty Dzongkhags next
year so that our people can study it and be fully aware of its contents.
Following this, I will be personally visiting every Dzongkhag to meet with
our people and hold discussions and consultations on all issues regarding
the Constitution. Only after completing the consultations with our people
in all the Dzongkhags will the adoption of the Constitution take place.
It
has now been two and a half years since we started the 9th Five Year
Plan. As you are all aware, under the policy of greater decentralization
and empowerment of the people, the Dzongkhag Yargay Tshogdu and the Geog
Yargye Tshogchung have been given full administrative, policy making and
financial powers in their respective Dzongkhags. Therefore, the success
of development programmes will now be determined by the decisions
taken by the people and the quality of their participation in implementing
them.
I
have every confidence that our people will shoulder their responsibility
well and that the administrative, policy making and financial powers given
to them by the government will be utilized properly to ensure the progress
and development of the Dzongkhags, especially in the rural sector.
This
year, we have over 155,000 students studying in our schools and educational
institutions. One of the greatest concerns for the government today
is in providing gainful employment to our youth. At a time when
our country is developing very rapidly and our people are becoming more
prosperous every year, if Bhutanese citizens are to benefit from the progress
taking place and find good jobs, we will have to give priority to the establishment
of industries for which the government must strengthen and develop the
private sector.
It
is necessary for the government and the private sector in Bhutan to work
together hand in hand and provide employment to our people. It is an important
responsibility of the Royal Government to ensure that a time does not come
when Bhutanese people cannot find employment in their own country. Such
a situation must never be allowed to arise.
Two
of the most important factors for ensuring the development of our rural
sector is the establishment of roads and the availability of power
in our villages. In this regard, the Kurichhu Hydroelectric Project has
greatly benefited the rural people and business community in the six Dzongkhags
of eastern Bhutan as well as in Zhemgang and Sarpang.
Now
that the presence of the militants has been removed from Nganglam,
the government will reactivate the establishment of the Dungsam Cement
Project which will provide jobs for our people and business opportunities
for the private sector. Furthermore, the Tala Hydroelectric Project is
expected to be completed by the year 2006. The sale of electricity from
this project will go a long way towards enabling us to achieve our national
goal of economic self-reliance. In the world today, it is an important
measure of a nation's status as a sovereign, independent country to remove
the need for aid assistance and achieve economic self-reliance. Therefore,
we must all make every effort to fulfill this important national objective.
In
December last year, with every effort made to find a peaceful solution
to the problem of the three militant organisations who had established
camps on our soil having failed to yield any results, we were left with
no other choice but to use the security forces of Bhutan, as a last resort,
to remove their presence from our country. The successful removal of this
serious security threat has greatly strengthened the well being and sovereignty
of our country. As citizens of a small landlocked country with a population
of just over 500,000, it is vital for the Bhutanese people to be fully
conscious of how important it is for them to be always ready to shoulder
the sacred responsibility of safeguarding the security and sovereignty
of our nation.
When
our country was going through a very critical and difficult period, the
armed forces served the Tsa-Wa-Sum with dedication and commitment, placing
the country above their lives in defending the security of the Palden Drukpa.
In recognition of their loyal and outstanding service to the nation, we
will be awarding medals to the officers and men of the Royal Bhutan Army,
the Royal Body Guards, the Royal Bhutan Police and the Militia Volunteers
on this auspicious occasion of our National Day.
Last
year, when we were facing a conflict situation and our country was going
through a difficult period in its history, His Holiness the Je Khenpo and
the Zhung Dratshang, the Dratshangs and Gomdeys of the 20 Dzongkhags, the
Shedras and Drubdras, civil servants, the business community and our people,
all united together and came forward with one mind to support our security
forces and to perform the sacred Kurims to ensure the success of the military
operations and the well being of the country, for which I would like to
express deep gratitude and appreciation.
On
the auspicious occasion of our National Day, I would like to wish Tashi
Delek to all our people in the 20 Dzongkhags.
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| This
article was contributed by Kuensel, Bhutan's National Newspaper, 2004 |
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