The Prime Minister, Tshering Tobgay said the government will sign Memorandum of Understandings with anybody when it comes to things that are good for Bhutan, during Meet the Press, today.
He was responding to Anti-Corruption’s finding which says the government has undermined provisions of the Constitutions that provides for fair market competition by signing MoUs with Nissan Motors and Mahindra Reva.
“This is not the only MoUs we have signed…On sustainable transport, if it is going to make a big positive contribution to the economy we should sign MoU.”
ACC’s finding says the MoU signed with NISSAN Motor Co. Ltd. (Japan) contains the government’s National Action Plan for the government’s light vehicle fleet to be converted to Electric Vehicle (EV).
It also says the action plan include electric vehicles as taxi fleet and transportation for tourist. “The Government’s initiatives on the import of EVs in the country appear to unfairly benefit a select few.”
Lyonchhen also said no policies were breached while procuring the second hand E-Vehicles.
Lyonchhen citing Third Country Import Rules and Regulations 2001 said the rules put second hand vehicles as restricted item and not prohibited item. “This is a restricted item on which restrictions will apply based on policy. So the cabinet studied it and decided it is not prohibited.”
ACC’s findings had said the Government’s order on allowing import of second hand electric vehicles has violated the provisions of the Constitution and the Rules and Procedures for Imports from Third Countries 2001.
The Prime Minister also refuted ACC’s findings on PM receiving electric vehicles as gifts from car companies. “Gifts are not to me. The gifts, although they were directed to me, I did not accept and it has been transferred to the government.”
ACC had said receiving EV gifts from NISSAN Motor Co. Ltd. (Japan) and Tesla Company (USA) has violated the provisions of the Gift Rules 2009.
The Opposition also says the government has violated the Constitution by giving undue favour to two local motor vehicle dealers.
“This is a clear case of corruption for a Government, which continuously harps on curbing corruption and following the rule of law,” a press release from the Opposition says.
“How can we have a government that blatantly favours certain people over other citizens of the country and knowingly contravenes the provisions of the Constitution?”
The Opposition Party is demanding that the government immediately return the electric vehicles received as gifts from the Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (Japan), Tesla Co. (USA), and Mitsubishi Motors, as the provisions of the Gift Rules have been violated.
They are also demanding that the second-hand electric vehicles imported be re-exported. Their third demand is to immediately abrogate the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the two companies.
