The Journalists Association of Bhutan (JAB), which was first announced five years ago, has been reactived with election of nine its executives, Tuesday.
In the election held in the capital, 32-year-old Passang Dorji of The Bhutanese, a daily newspaper yet to be launched, was elected with majority of votes as new president, wrote the Kuensel on Wednesday.
Altogether, 105 journalists from various 11 newspapers and 16 from electronic media were present during the election.
The president elect said he would leave no stones unturned to ensure hassle-free working environment for journalists.
“My first priority would be to bring journalists together and ensure that journalists, particularly in the private media, are well compensated if anything should happen to them in the line of duty,” said he.
Meanwhile, JAB expressed its commitment that it “will submit to the government a proposal, submitted by senior editors last month, suggesting changes to the advertising policy and doing away with the mandatory publication of Dzongkha editions in the English language papers.”
Dear Passang,
Tashi Delek for your election to this challenging portfolio. It is good to see a candle light at the last end of the tunnel of Bhutan’s modern media. It gives enough hope for the people world over to see that the change in Bhutan is evolving slowly though not up to the expectations of the people. It is a great mileage achieved after displacing a large section of the population. There are many of the democracy aspiring victims of political injustice yet to be released from the prison. If parliament gives a thought to this issue, a tip of the needle of GNH could be achieved and values of political change could be visible in Bhutan. Otherwise, trumpeting of a pseudo democracy, showcasing love and compassion towards the ignorant mass will only see enhanced growth of frustration in youth, confusion in the people and mass corruption at the highest level of the policy makers. Kuensel reporting about alleged involvement of parliamentarians in the land allotment is a shame on the government being monitored by two kings:the 4th king as a ceremonial shadow while 5th King riding the saddle of constitutional monarchy.
Thinley Penjore
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