Thimphu: Bank of Bhutan (BoB) has plans to install 100 ATM in Bhutan by 2015.

BoB has procured plans of installing 35 ATMs of which more than 15 has already been installed.

“Installation of ATM will help with the overcrowding in the bank and will increase the convenience for the clients,” said a spokes person from BoB.

“Installation of these technologies will greatly benefit the tourists and all the other local clients in terms of banking which will be made simple, efficient, effortless and cost effective,” said an official from the bank.

He added that a customer can operate on his account from any branch of the bank and also with ATM facilities; adding that a customer can operate on his account from virtually anywhere and make electronic funds transfer between banks within no time.

The bank is also installing two ATMs at the project site in addition to the already existing ATMs at Lobeysa and one at the bank premises.

BoB also plans to install about a dozen ATM machines in the Eastern Dzongkhags by the end of this year making it a seamless transaction for any of its customers with a BOB account.

Gelephu: Twenty six workers hired by the Bhutan Engineering Company are struggling to make ends meet because the company has not paid them for a month now.

The department of roads (DOR) had leased out the workers to the company to carry out maintenance works for the month of June but the workers claim that their repeated pleas were ignored.

“We talked to the DOR junior engineer and the supervisor but our appeal fell on deaf ears,” said Harka Bahadur Darje, one of the workers.

Without money, life has become tough for the workers.

Deku Maya, who has to feed five children because her husband is unemployed, said that keeping the hearth burning is a struggle now.

“We don’t have rice because we are broke and the roads are blocked due to the rain,” she said.

Inflation has made matters worse.

“Earlier a kilogram of rice used to cost Nu 7-8 but now a 50 kg pack costs Nu 1,000 and it lasts just 15 days at my home,” she said.

“We did everything our supervisor told us to but we were not rewarded for all our pain,” she added.

Devi Maya Rai, another worker said she gets her rations from the Indian dealers but now they are unwilling to lend her the required because she has not been paying on time.

“And if we delay paying our credit on time they increase the rate of interest,” she said.

Harka Bahadur Darje who has a family of five with a school-going sister cannot even afford a new pen or note-book for her now.

“Things have come to this pass,” he said.

He added that he has been borrowing money and food from his friends.

“Right now, they are helping but once their supplies are finished, I don’t know how we will manage,” he said, “they keep saying they will pay us but we don’t know how long the wait will be.”

However, the project engineer of Bhutan Engineering Company, D R Baraily claimed that it was a lapse which would be covered soon.

“The DOR had not prepared the final bill so we could not pay the workers on time but we will do so by the end of the month,” he said, “We have a record of paying our workers well and on time.”

The regional labour director, Chumo Wangmo, said that they have not received any formal complaint from the concerned party. “To take action, we must receive a written complaint then we will deal according to the law.”

Thimphu: Five decades ago, Tsewang Tsewang was the happiest child in the family. His elder sister had managed to convince the government that he had a disease because of which he would not be able to study. His elder brother instead was taken to Mongar School.

Today, whenever he is a bit tipsy, he blames his elder sister. “I could have become a Dasho, and done better than Ata, who is just a director,” he says.

This speaks volumes about the importance of education, which every Bhutanese has today realized.

However, to cater to the likes of Tsewang Tsewang, Bhutan introduced the non-formal education program in 1992, in line with the 1990 Jomtein Declaration on Education for All (EFA). Since then NFE has taken strong roots and was called the non-formal and continuing education division” (NFCED) from July 2003.

The idea of NFE is not to prepare the learners for job opportunities, but to provide basic functional literacy to the target groups like out-of school youth and adults who have missed the formal education system or dropped out of the formal education system.

It is aimed at empowering and improving the quality of life by providing relevant life skills through literacy.

Dema, an NFE teacher from Samdrupjongkhar, told Bhutan TODAY that “more than anything else, NFE has boosted the confidence of the people, especially females and made them more conscious of what is happening in the nation and even abroad.”

She said that as a democracy, consciousness in all aspects is a necessity. “Most of the time it is the women who attend public meetings or awareness campaigns on health etc,” she said, adding that because of the knowledge gained through NFE, “they are in a position to understand and question the leaders and others.”

For Sam Zangmo, a shopkeeper from Lhuntse, NFE has helped her in her profession. “Before, people taking credit used to note down everything and I never knew if they were reflecting the truth. Now I do it myself,” she said.

Ugyen Tshering, a civil servant told BHUTAN TODAY that NFE’s major contribution will be in enhancing political consciousness. “With the local government (LG) elections, people’s acquaintance and knowledge about politics will enhance. And if there are more people who are literate, either through the formal education system or the NFE, it will have a major bearing on politics,” he said.

According to the NFE policy of 2010, respective dzongkhags will plan the NFE centers.  The requisition for textbooks and equipments should be compiled by the parent schools and then directly sent to the NFCED with a copy to the respective Dzongkhag education officers.

In recognition of its role and results, the NFE program was awarded the Honourable Mention of the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy in 2009.

Currently there are about 700 NFE centers and over 13,000 learners across the country.

Thimphu: Four men were arrested by the Mongar police after they were caught with 16 sticks of hash weighing 78 grams at Yadi, about 36 kilometers away from Mongar.

Aged between 17 and 35, two of the men were taxi drivers while the other two were farmers from Punakha.

They confessed to being drug addicts and said that they had travelled all the way from Punakha because marijuana plants in the Mongar and Trashigang region matured faster than the other parts of the country.

A source told Bhutan TODAY that this is the peak season in which most of the drug addicts and peddlers travel to the east to extract Marijuana.

“People buy the joint stick for just Nu 250 in those areas but back in the capital they sell it for Nu 2,500 per stick,” the source said.

Addicts and peddlers harvesting marijuana plants is a common sight in the region at this time of the year. The number, this year, reportedly has increased.

This is the first arrest made by the Mongar police.

Thimphu: Popular culture paint men as the stronger sex, but the reputation comes at a colossal price.

A recent survey done from January – June this year shows that men topped the mortality rate. and in total 96 men died compared to 71 female.

On an average, men die earlier than women, says a senior record officer, Palden Lepcha, at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH).

“Men are genetically and biologically fragile, and the social norms encourage, demand and put men in risky situations generally,” he said.

According to Dr TB Rai, the six reasons why men die prematurely are the improved health care for women, pregnancy issues having lowered over the years, women asking for gender biopsies, and men’s over all risky behavior, drinking and smoking.

Based on male chromosomes, men are charged with natural genetic disorders which are few of the reasons why most men die earlier than their female counterparts.

He also said that men by nature prefer hazardous jobs or occupations; thus, most of the policemen, construction workers, road workers, and farmers are men.

“From early childhood to adolescence they show signs of risky behaviors like climbing tress, sword fighting, car racing, wrestling etc,” he said, “men are believed to suffer from depressions more than female who are believed to be very emotional.”

The records from the police show that more number of men are involved with psychotropic substances than women, which have led to more male death cases.

“Men are more prone to lifestyle diseases than women. It is observed that men drink and eat more than women,” said another doctor.

He added that poor self care is another factor which has led to early deaths in men as men are by nature least bothered about their health and their surroundings.

“They are usually unhygienic and they don’t care about regular health check ups which mean they hardly visit the hospital,” he said.

Similarly a civil servant said that frequent exposure to the natural environment is another big factor which contributes to the theory; since men are more adventurous by nature, they go fishing, hunting and riding which can lead to accidents and parasitic infections.

“We are more health conscious and that’s why women of this generation live longer.  My friends and I make sure that we go for a regular health check-up once in six months,” said Karma Wangmo, a local resident.

A housewife told BHUTAN TODAY that most women nowadays are more health conscious and join yoga and tae bo classes.

“I go for tae bo with my friends at least twice a month and that ensures that we stay fit and don’t put on too much weight too,” she said.

A private employee said that heart diseases strike men early; “Just two weeks back my husband suffered from heart palpitations. He ran short of breath and could barely stand on his own and he is only 25 years old.”

Thimphu: Damphu and Dagana higher secondary schools (DHSS) have been closed for a week after students started falling sick with symptoms of H1N1 influenza.

As per the latest reports from Dzongkhag health officials (DHOs) from both the districts, 14 cases with similar symptoms of H1N1 flu were reported from Damphu and 213 in Dagana school respectively.

Jamyang Choeda, principal of Damphu HSS told BHUTAN TODAY that on July 22 a boy with symptoms of HINI fell sick. “He displayed similar symptoms to that of H1N1 influenza and when tested he was confirmed with influenza A positive and not H1N1. After that more cases were reported,” he said.

Immediately the principal consulted the Dzongda suggesting that the school be closed before an epidemic arose. The principal also said that students started falling sick three days after they came from their mid-term break. “We have sent the samples to the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH), Thimphu,” he said.

According to the principal, most of the children who fell sick were from Samtse. “We think that the virus must have come from Samtse, while they were travelling. We do not know the exact source of the epidemic. What so ever we have informed the parents and children to take care of themselves and to drink a lot of water,” he added.

In order to prevent any further transmission the schools in both the districts are closed for a week until the situation improves.

On the other side, the DHO of Dagana, GR Gurung told BHUTAN TODAY that the children of Dagana HSS started falling sick from July 19. Out of the 213 sick children, 85 with symptoms of high grade fever, headache and throat pain have been isolated.

While officials from Damphu School have already sent the samples to JDWNRH to be tested health officials from Dagana are yet to send their samples because of the road blocks.

“The ministry has sent specialists from JDWNRH, but they have not reached here due to the road block,” he said. The DHO also told that minor tests, which can be done at the hospital has been conducted. “We took 31 random blood tests, and there was no sign of the flu.  All the precautions are taken as per the H1N1 guidelines,” he added.

The DHO also said that there is a possibility that ten students, who are serious “might have the flu”.  Further, the DHO informed BHUTAN TODAY that 32 similar cases have been reported from Drujegang middle secondary school (DMSS) under Dagana dzongkhag. Though the school is open, the infected children have been isolated. A doctor and lab technician has been sent from Damphu to monitor and investigate.

Lab assistant Kinley from Damphu told BHUTAN TODAY that most of the tests were delayed because of power supply. “Very often we do not get electricity. With increasing number of children getting sick, we are facing a lot of problems with inadequate facilities,” he said.

However, health minister, Lyonpo Zangley Drukpa said that everything is in place. “We are very concerned about what is going on and the ministry has mechanisms in place to address such outbreaks now and in the future,” Lyonpo said. Lyonpo also said that it is yet to be confirmed if the children are really suffering from H1N1 or from fever and cold.  “We are taking all the precautionary actions and there is no need to panic,” Lyonpo assured.

“I realized how important ICT is when I came to Thimphu for processing my masters,” a teacher who did not want to be named said. “I did not even have an e-mail add and it was very embarrassing,” he said, adding that Chiphen Rigphel should bridge the digital divide.

Karma Wangdi, a civil servant also spoke on similar lines.

“I was ashamed when I came to Thimphu for a workshop and was asked to make a presentation on microsoft powerpoint,” he said. “I had never used a computer back in Zhemgang.”  However, Karma said that the amount of information that can be generated from the internet and the ease with which communications can be conducted made ICT an imperative need.

He also said that the policy of the ministry of education (MoE) to introduce ICT in schools should be implemented immediately and accelerated.

Kinley Wangmo, a class XI student from Wamrong higher secondary school (WHSS) said that she looked forward to the winter vacations solely because of the drive she has developed for ICT. “Every vacation, I go to Thimphu and spend hours on the net, which is not available here,” she said. “Moreover, knowing ICT boosts confidence. We feel inferior when we say that we do not know anything about computers” she added.

The MoE will be assisted by Bhutan Telecom (BT) to make internet packages for schools affordable. BT has granted 50% concession on any internet package that a school subscribes.

However, the MoE will not be supporting recurrent costs. Schools should meet the expenditure for internet subscription from the telephone budget.

Through provision of internet facilities, the MoE hopes to enhance research and development skills, keeping abreast with current affairs and accessing teaching learning materials.

Dorji Wanghuk, principal of Mendrelgang lower secondary school told BHUTAN TODAY that IT education is very important in all schools. He said that the school has received all equipments and would have internet connections very soon.

Tashi Yangki, a teacher from Samdrup Jongkhar said that internet facilities help a lot in “find new and attractive teaching learning materials”. “If all schools have uninterrupted internet facilities, we can do away with most of the learning aids that are procured,” she added. However, she also stressed that authorities must be cautious of the misuse of internet. “Only relevant websites should be accessible,” she said.

To maintain uniformity in the standard of IT skills for students and synchronize with the curriculum and the text books available for IT courses in the school, Windows XP and Microsoft office 2003 will be used in all schools. “Moreover these are the most stable version and most widely supported by hardware,” an education officer said.

“We are excited about the policy and looking forward to it. Without internet, we feel like we are still backward and living in the past,” Thinley Choden, a class eight student from Trashigang said adding that her cousins in Thimphu always embarrasses her by calling her an “IT illiterate” girl. “I can get back now,” she said.

I believe in creating clothes out of Bhutanese textiles that are beautiful and for all different kinds of people. I try to keep in mind that different people have different styles and taste. I believe in happiness and try to make the customer, the weavers, the people involved and myself happy.

Yes, but not always. It’s about the clothes making you feel good because some material I use feel really nice on the body whereas other times it’s bright colors that make me happy. The time when there is no theme is when clients walk in sometimes and have an idea of what they like and I help make what they like possible.

“My weakness is I design keeping in mind that the world has different people with different tastes and I don’t concentrate fully on one target market. Then I have no formal education when it comes to designing. It’s something I do because I like to.” - - Kesang Anayat

I already have a brand called LHB – Lingshays handicraft Boutique. My aim when I started the label was to make garments with a Bhutanese essence. In all the products I design I try to incorporate Bhutanese hand-woven textile as far as possible and if not at least Bhutanese patterns from the hand-woven textiles.

In Bhutan today a lot of our youngsters wear western clothes and I am making an attempt to make Bhutanese textiles more fashionable.

A lot of foreigners say that our handicrafts are expensive but they compare our products with that of other countries. People who know about quality and Bhutanese textiles do not mind spending over Nu 100,000. As for the products I create, there are clothes one can buy for Nu 500 and still be good and of original design. I also create expensive clothes that go up to Nu 65,000 made of all silk hand-woven textile.

Well to start with, designing makes me a happy citizen. I try and make a weaver happy, people who help me are happy and people who buy from me are happy.

Well I don’t have a favorite designer but my inspiration is my mother who does a lot of handicraft.

To be Bhutanese and to have been born in a country rich in culture and tradition. To grow up seeing variations of our textiles, from yathas, mathas, kishutharas woven from tukuli and jachen to kiras woven nowadays of full silk and double thread weaves.

I have the ability to work with different kinds of fabrics and colors.

I had the opportunity to learn from my mother who has been making yatha jackets for the last 30 years and has one design which amazingly has gone out of fashion in Bhutan but is still fashionable in other countries.

My weakness is I design keeping in mind that the world has different people with different tastes and I don’t concentrate fully on one target market. Then I have no formal education when it comes to designing. It’s something I do because I like to.

Be proud to be Bhutanese, always try to help promote your own people.

Be creative, believe in yourself because what you dream about comes true if you work towards it.

It is very important not to give up once you start designing. If you have problems try solving them, if not learn something from it and move on.

If you are interested go to design school, we need a Bhutanese designer in the international markets. Other designers are using Bhutan as inspiration.

Thimphu: Imagine this scenario.

A major accident has occurred and scores of severely injured victims are being rushed to JDWNR Hospital in Thimphu, the biggest and the best equipped in the country.

But the hospital has run out of anesthesia, without which surgical operations cannot be carried out.

The situation, frightening as it is, was close to this reality until late afternoon yesterday. The hospital, for the last three days since July 21, functioned without anesthesia.

A notice signed by the hospital authority on July 21 stated that the “hospital is completely out of stock both in the store and the operation theatre”. It also said that the hospital, till date, had not received the supply of the drugs in full quantity.

The situation was eased a bit by the drug, vaccine and equipment division (DVED) which airlifted an emergency consignment yesterday afternoon to rescue the situation. The chief procurement officer (CPO) of DVED said one of the drugs had arrived but refused to provide further details.

While the hospital did not have even a single unit of Isoflorane and Ketamine (both injection anesthesia), operations were being carried out with the little left inhalational Halothane, which too was about to finish yesterday.

“There is not even a unit in the store,” said a hospital staff yesterday. “And the only unit of Halothane is about to finish.”

About 15 surgeries are carried out everyday according to the records maintained in the operation theatre. The hospital needs at least 30 bottles of Halothane alone to meet the requirements till the end of the year.

Contacted by Bhutan TODAY, health minister Lyonpo Zangley Drukpa, said the ministry was not informed of the situation. “Any healthcare centre is required to maintain 90% of essential drugs in stock at any given time and if there is any shortage the management is supposed to report to the ministry immediately,” he said.

According to the health secretary, Dasho (Dr.) Gado Tshering, the hospital and the procurement department were responsible for the shortage of the drugs. “We just provide budget and it is their responsibility to look after the procurement system,” he told Bhutan TODAY.

The hospital superintendent, Dr. Pandup Tshering, however explained that nobody can be blamed for the shortage. The shortage had resulted from a steady increase in the number of surgeries carried out at the hospital.

“The shortage was caused by the increase of caseloads,” he said.

He explained that the hospital places the annual requirement of anesthesia to the DVED in the ministry of health. “But it is very difficult to estimate the number of cases,” he said.

The superintendent said that the hospital had asked for an emergency procurement from Kolkata, India. Besides, efforts were being made to mobilize the drugs from the district and regional hospitals from around the country.

The question is how did this slip occur?

“People would have died had there been mass emergency cases referred to the hospital,” a Thimphu resident said. “How can the country’s biggest hospital run out of such essential drugs?”

Thimphu: There was a time when having a meal was a plate of rice supplemented by kewa datshi with some eezay. Today the good old kewa datshi has been replaced by a burger meal, spread with extra fries and salad.

Fashion has been changing in Bhutan; with development and modernization even the food habits of Bhutanese have been transforming constantly.

Not very long ago, eating out was for travelers, where the customers were served more or less what would have been on the domestic table anyway.

Today eating out has become the ‘in thing’, especially for urban Bhutanese.

Phuntsho Wangzom loves eating out. The only thing that makes her have a meal at home is when she is broke.

“But, even when I am broke, I go eat at cheaper restaurants like Tshering Choden restaurant at the Clock Tower, where I can get a meal for three at just Nu 150,” she said.

However, for a lead vocalist of a popular local band ‘Who’s Your Daddy’ and a bachelor who is too lazy to cook, Kunga T. Dorji eats out almost every day.

His most preferred places are The Art Café and Musk.

He loves to eat sausage platter with a lot of salad complimented by a manoa soda.

Given the limited lunch time, civil servants practically live on instant noodles for lunch, especially those who don’t have anyone to cook for them at home.

Karma Phuntsho eats at his office canteen which only serves Koka cooked in different styles.

“There is Koka cooked with vegetables, dry Koka, cheese Koka, and egg Koka. My lunch is all about Koka,” he said.

And it’s not just the busy civil servants eating Koka. National Council member Tashi Wangmo is also driven by Koka for lunch.

However, Tashi Wangmo enjoys going out for coffee combined with a light snack with her friends every now and then.

Her preferred places are Khamsa Coffee, Karma’s Coffee and Art Café.

But she is Bhutanese to the core.

“I am pretty much grounded to the traditional Bhutanese food,” she said as she walked out of the Art Café with a boxful of cakes for a friend.

Thimphu is brimming with restaurants serving food from all over the world.

From Indian to Thai to Korean to Chinese to Japanese to Continental to Italian, everything is on the menu.

Seasons Pizzeria is definitely the place to be for Italian food, its pizzas, pastas, steaks and spaghettis have made Sonam Choki go there at least three times a week.

“I don’t even leave a small piece of meatball that comes with my favorite spaghetti,” she said.

For the bigger section of the Thimphu population, Chinese food is the most preferred.

The owner of Chopstick restaurant said his customers enjoyed eating Mix Hakka Noodle, Special Spaghetti Noodle, American Chopsuey and Menchi Thukpa.

The Art Café’s Tosay is a big hit among most office goers.

Ngawang Mendrel, a student in Bangkok, only misses the Art Café’s Tosay while she is away from home. And the moment she comes back, she goes out to eat it, at least four times a week.

“It’s awesome. The Art Café’s Tosay is unique and whatever the recipe is, I am sure it will be difficult to copy it,” she said.

While western food has been seeping into Bhutanese bowels, people prefer to drink imported beverages.

Apart from fruit juices, Lipton Peach Ice Tea is everybody’s favorite.

As a model and someone who works out in the gym regularly, Barun Wakhley likes to stick to his protein shake.

According to Chuki Gyeltshen of Art Café, people prefer to drink more coffee than tea.

Meanwhile, the Bhutanese restaurants are coming up with more varieties of food.

Yeshey Wangmo, the owner of Shelse Restaurant, told Bhutan TODAY that, each region in Bhutan has its own specialty and there are plenty of different food that can be served in restaurants.

“The most preferred Bhutanese food are rice with sikam paa, emadatshi and shakam datshi,” she said.