Tshering Dema, Thimphu

Flights to Myanmar from Bhutan, suspended more than a decade ago, will start again. The revised Air Service Agreement between Myanmar and Bhutan was signed in Thimphu, yesterday.
The first agreement between the two countries was signed in 2002.
However, Drukair’s flights, twice a week, to Myanmar had to be discontinued because of economic reasons.
Bhutan Civil Aviation Authority’s Director, Wangdi Gyaltshen said Myanmar has considered unrestricted flight frequency between Bhutan and Myanmar with an exception to Yangon. It will be two to five times a week for Yangon.
He added Bhutanese airlines can travel via Myanmar to other countries as well.
“We used to fly via Yangon to Bangkok only twice a week and now they have allowed us to fly twice a week to Singapore or Kuala Lumpur and via Mandalay to Gaya.”
Drukair and Bhutan Airlines welcome the opportunity.
However, they said, they cannot exactly say when they will start their flights to Myanmar.
They will have to conduct a market study, which will take at least six months.
At present, Bhutanese Airlines travel to Nepal, Bangkok, Bangladesh, Singapore, and India.

Favouritism tops corruption list in civil service

Sonam Penjor, Thimphu

A research report, launched in Thimphu today, says favouritism in human resource management is the most prevalent form of corruption in civil service.
There are over 26,000 civil servants in the country.
“I think we all know why this particular factor comes in. It is because of the nature of our culture,” said the Anti-Corruption Commission’s Chairperson, Kinley Yangzom.
She said the research also debunked the common belief that bribery; one of the most alleged corruption complaints ACC receives, tops the list of corruptions in civil service.
“It was found rather untrue,” said the Chairperson.
The Royal Civil Service Commission’s Chairperson, Dasho Karma Tshiteem said they have realised people, in many cases, fall in foul of system because system has been designed poorly.
“In the research conducted by ACC, I see ways to deal with the problems by making changes in the system, thus reducing at least corrupt practices due to the design of the system.”
The Anti-Corruption Commission, Royal Institute of Management, Royal University of Bhutan and Audencia School of Management in France conducted the collaborative research.
They began conducting the research since April, last year.
The findings also say favouritism has an adverse effect on meritocracy and performance.
The research recommends developing policy for effective communication and coordination among the agencies, strict implementation of conflict of interests, and improving enforcement of Bhutan Civil Service Rules and Regulations.

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Amici del Bhutan - Italy