Responding to the opposition party the government said they are ‘disappointed’ as the opposition is using media ‘as their preferred channel to communicate with them’. “A direct letter would have been more appropriate and productive, to which the government would have been happy to respond,” according to the press release issued soon after the opposition made their statement on the suspension of three government Secretaries.
“The government is very concerned that the Opposition Party has chosen to incite fear in the civil service instead of providing constructive views. The sanctity of the civil service is protected by the Constitution, the Civil Service Act and BCSR. More importantly, this sanctity is guaranteed by none other than His Majesty the King.
“We appeal to the Opposition Party to refrain from sowing discord and inciting fear in our civil service. The government strongly objects to the Opposition Party’s attempt to mislead the public into believing that the surrender of the Secretaries was politically motivated,” the press release stated.
The government, according to the press release, reached its decision to surrender the Secretaries after carefully and thoroughly considering all the facts of the case. “The points that the Opposition Party has raised have all been adequately considered in the Lhengye Zhungtshog.”
Why three Secretaries were surrendered?
The government had “surrendered” the Cabinet Secretary, Dasho Penden Wangchuk, Economic Affairs Secretary, Dasho Sonam Tshering and Foreign Affairs Secretary, Yeshey Dorji to the Royal Civil Service Commission on December 12.
In an earlier interview, the economic affairs minister, Norbu Wangchuk, had said the Secretaries had taken unilateral decisions.
Lyonpo Norbu Wangchuk had said they had written a letter, almost demanding the Indian government’s intervention, to resolve corruption charges related to hydropower sector, especially the appointment of Bhutan Ventures Trading as an agent for Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL).
Lyonpo said the letter had demanded the Indian government to take ENERTIA, an Indian publication, to the task for writing articles of corruption charges against a senior Bhutanese official.
Enertia’s article reported that Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited and Bhutan Ventures Trading had struck a deal under which the latter will receive a commission of 1.5 to 1.8 percent for supply of electro-mechanical equipment to Punatsangchhu II and Mangdechhu projects.
BHEL, as a government company, is reportedly not authorised to nominate agents.
