As they say in the comic books ---- I told you so!
I am doubtful about the claim "civil servants" but the RCSC is obviously recruiting more employees!
One of the number of positive sides to the hoards of youth heading for Australia is that it opens up employment opportunities for those who are less fortunate - in particular for those who do not have the wherewithal to obtain loans from the financial institutions. Many of us ignore the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of youth who may harbor the hope of being on the band wagon - but cannot because they do not have savings, nor do they have rich parents, or do they own property valuable enough to qualify as a collateral for the necessary amount of bank loan to finance their trip.
Remember that one-way airfare for two to Perth, Australia will cost close to Nu.300,000.00. The reality, thus, is that it is not the poor and the deserving, who make it to Australia - those who do are those who have the mullah to be able to do so. It is a painful reality - unfortunately no one told you that the world is a fair place.
But all things considered, I still believe that the exodus to Australia is a good thing. That is why I am encouraging the government to do everything in their power to ensure that the good thing that we have going for ourselves, is not jeopardized.
We should ensure that people of doubtful characters are restrained from going and screwing up things for others - people with a record of drug abuse and those with criminal backgrounds should not qualify to go. Today Bhutan seems to have been singled out for special treatment because, I believe that those Bhutanese who are already domiciled in Australia have been behaving themselves and have won the trust of the people there. We want that happy situation to continue.
Some of us fear that those who leave the country may never come back. As I had said earlier on many occasions, we must do all we can, to encourage them to come back. It is for that reason that I suggested that someone worthy should go to Australia to speak to our brood there – to encourage them to come back. But if they still don’t, we have to realize that they were never meant to be.
In the meantime the government is doing all they can to make it worthwhile for those who have to remain in the country, out of necessity. For the sake of the country and the people, we hope and pray that they succeed in their endeavors. I would like to caution the government, however, that they might wish to consider a mix of heart and mind. It is sufficiently apparent that those who are masterminding the transformation of the nation have Capitalist bend of minds.
The all-powerful Transformation Team ought to know that we are a nation and people who have been, for the past 115 years, since 1907, indoctrinated in Socialist way of thinking. We know no other way of thinking, or doing things. It would be wise to keep that in mind.
Bhutanese by nature are risk averse and in general our social DNA is engineered to replicate activities that are most feasible to ones comfort , a tendency to prefer outcomes with low uncertainty. Our preferences are demonstrated in businesses, social status, professions and habits. An entrepreneur sets up a waste business, we see a hoard of entrepreneurs joining the wagon, a farmers cultivates cardamom the entire community jumps in, a trader sells bajaj light bulbs and you see the entire hardware stores flooded by different brands by different dealers , a well to do person constructs a hotel we find similar establishment popping up , a private lad undergoes pilot course and we find a score of them with the certificates and now going to Australia has become a business proposition to all irrespective of our social stature. I cannot be a judge on whether it is good or bad for Bhutan but for the entire system I feel we are stalled or thrown back by few years because we need to train these new recruits with the assurance that they may leave the country anytime.
ReplyDeleteThe Tourism Levy killed a once-thriving industry. RCSC killed the civil service. They say people are rushing out of the country because of dire economic conditions and the lack of opportunities. If it is just economic reasons, we need not worry as this can be reversed, and when the tide turns, our brethren will flock back. BUT, what we are not paying attention to is the high-handedness with which the civil service was routed, the transformation implemented, and the stifling environment created in the country that has made our home not so fun to be in anymore. A small coterie of people are running the country to the ground, with the help of foreigners to boot. With no consequence whatsoever. God help my beloved country! The streets are empty, businesses suffering, and the overall morale down in the dumps. I have never felt this hopeless in our beautiful country before. I'm looking up to the heavens for divine intervention!!!
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