Eminent Member Karma Tshering
Members of the National Council expressed concerns over the composition and establishment of the National Committee on the Entitlement of a Minister and Minister equivalent post holders. The legislative committee of the house presented the draft bill for the Entitlement of a Minister and Minister Equivalent Post Holders to the house yesterday.
As the Legislative committee of the house introduced the draft bill for the Entitlement of a Minister and Minister Equivalent Post Holder the members discussed extensively on the second chapter of the bill which pertains to establishment and composition of the national committee.
The draft bill mentions that the National Committee shall consist of five members nominated by the Chief Justice of Bhutan, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Chairperson of the National Council, the Opposition Leader, and the Cabinet.
The National Committee will be responsible to review and recommend to the Pay Commission on the entitlement of a minister and minister equivalent post holder. The draft bill also authorises the committee all the rights to make its own rules of procedures including the election of its chair. But members of the house raised concerns over foreseeable issues that could come going by the way its composition is defined in the draft bill.
“There is a national committee for the entitlement of members of parliament as well. Its members consist of a representative from RCSC, one from the national council and two from the national assembly that is one each from the government and the opposition and one from the cabinet. In my opinion, I think there should be representatives from other agencies not related to the ministers or minister equivalent post holders for this national committee too,” Bumthang MP Nima said.
“The committee members are all those who are among the ministers and minister equivalent post holders for whom the Act need to be enacted. The composition might have to be changed,” Trongsa MP Tashi Samdrup said.
“But in future, it could give rise to problems since they are the committee members and they are also the members for whom the act is being enacted. So I feel the need to include representatives from other agencies a well,” Dagana MP Surjaman Thapa said.
The chairperson of Legislative Committee, Eminent Member Karma Tshering said the committee will include the members’ recommendations during the internal committee meeting.
“As the members raised, I also feel the need to include representatives from other agencies as well. We can discuss and decide that during the internal committee meeting.”
The Legislative Committee of the house drafted the bill upon the recommendation of the National Law Review Task Force.
Entitlement of other public servants such as members of the parliament, constitutional post holders, or the local government office holders are reflected clearly in respective Acts. However, there is no act or legislation in place for entitlement of minister or minister equivalent post holders.
The legislative committee’s chairperson informed the house that if the act is enacted, it will enable ministers or minister equivalent post holders to perform their responsibilities in an efficient, fair and transparent manner with accountability and integrity.
