According to some of the local leaders of Zhemgang Dzongkhag, the prolonging case of the Goshing Gup has been affecting gewog developmental activities and those officiating individuals have been shouldering double responsibilities as an officiating Dzongkhag Thrizin and officiating gup of Goshing Gewog for more than a year, without any incentive or allowances.
The Goshing Gup, who is also the chairperson of the Dzongkhag Tshogdu, was charged with 27 counts, including embezzlement, solicitation, fraudulent hiring scheme and official misconduct. He was suspended last year.
The officiating gup and Mangmi of Goshing Gewog said lack of a gup affects the public service delivery and leaves gewog in a disadvantage in terms of developmental activities. He said a gup is an important figure and, officiating doesn’t suffice that of gup himself.
“I am shouldering double responsibilities at the moment and it is going well with me till today. But in the coming days, if somewhere something goes wrong with multiple tasks, I would be sued by the authorities or poses a huge risk for me. So, I request the concerned authorities to resolve this issue very soon to benefit the people of Goshing altogether,” said Pema Samdrup, the Mangmi and the officiating gup of Goshing Gewog in Zhemgang.
Similarly, the officiating chairperson of Zhemgang Dzongkhag Tshogdu, the Bardo Gup, Kinzang Jurmey said as an officiating sometimes he hesitates to take the decision. He said additional responsibilities on them owes little incentive or allowances from the government.
“For Gup’s officiating, he has to represent as a gup in front of people and with limited knowledge, it would really affect the public service, I think. Whereas for Thrizin, we have very capable officials in the Dzongkhag administration and also I am one of the senior-most gup. So, I don’t face that much problem in terms of shouldering the responsibilities,” added Kinzang Jurmey, the officiating DT Chairperson and Bardo Gup.
Meanwhile, Zhemgang Dzongkhag Administration has received a notification from the Ministry of Finance recently to grant officiating allowance of Nu 5000 per month for managerial positions of P1 and above including Thrompons and Gups for officiating for a period minimum of three months and not exceeding six months.
According to section 35 of the local government Act, election to fill the vacant post shall be held within 30 days from the date of the vacancy. However, the Goshing Gup is still the gewog‘s gup as he is not removed from the post.
The suspended Goshing Gup’s case is still in Panbang Dungkhag Court prosecuted by the Office of Attorney General and the case was initially investigated by the Anti Corruption Commission in 2016.
Pema Samdrup
