SATURDAY KUENSELTHAT THE PEOPLE SHALL BE INFORMED JULY 1" ( & ' - D k ' + Briefly Dismissal of fiscal incentives SAARC experts meeting accusations draws criticism begin >> Experts from SAARC countries will NC says the government must establish the legality of the tax incentives given attend a three-day consultation meeting until May 8, 2017 on Water-energy-food nexus in Thimphu from July 3. Researchers will present papers on water security, renewal energy, and sustainable agriculture development. Inside Pg.3: India expresses concern over road construction in Doklam Pg.5: Mental health cases still underreported Pg.9: Choeten and the man Pg.10: PERSPECTIVE: Constitutional framing or a usual bickering? Pg.17: BFF suspends Drukpol FC for two years A step towards MB Subba in a live interview on BBS on June 27, Panbang MP Dorji Wangdi said and at the Meet the Press on June 23, the Prime Minister’s statement 2 preventing corruption rather than fighting he government’s out- dismissed the accusations as unsub- against the Opposition was uncalled K right rejection of the stantiated. The Prime Minister said for. “The PM’s singling out of some against it allegations against it that the accusations of the Opposition business entities is highly mislead- violating the Constitu- and DNT were politically motivated. ing and baffling,” he said. tion by granting the The National Council, the Op- Questioning the timing of the Focus Point TFiscal Incentives 2016 without the position and DNT have hit back at declaration of the Fiscal Incentives parliament’s approval has irked the the Prime Minister over his state- 2013, the Prime Minister said the Opposition, the National Council ment saying that the Prime Min- previous government dissolved just and Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT). ister’s statement undermined the three days after announcing the fis- Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, principle of democracy. cal incentives. Pg.2 Water shortage: Slow death of rural communities Tenzin Namgyel | Punakha stopped giving her water. Tshering Until 2015, the pond was the has only to rely on rainwater to drink ultimate source of water for the 13 It’s been more than a year seven- and wash. households of Gungthramo village. ty-six-year-old Tshering has been There are 81 households in There is now not a trace of pond to begging water from her neighbour. Laptsakha chiwog in Talo, Punakha. be found in Dhampheyjuk. The muddy pond at Dhampheyjuk The residents have been severely hit Tshering said: “Streams and that served as the main source dried by an acute drinking water shortage. springs are drying every year. I don’t completely. The situation became worse after understand why they disappear. And now her benefactor has the Dhampheyjuk pond dried up. Pg.19 HOME PAGE 2 Saturday, July 01, 2017 | KUENSEL Dismissal of fiscal incentives accusations draws criticism From Pg.1 “Showing anger publicly After the Prime Minister’s approval, of fiscal incentive The Prime Minister in by a prime minister is inap- statement on BBS, he said the Bills is used as two sources the BBS interview had said propriate,” he said. He said ambiguity became even more of legitimizing its position,” that Le Meridien hotel ben- the Prime Minister made pronounced. “The Council he said. efited Nu 76.9 million within “condescending remarks” not recognizes the supremacy of He added that the Na- the period of two years and only about DNT but also the the National Assembly over tional Council continues to eight months from the fiscal Opposition, and the Council “They (DNT) have money bills. There has been call upon the government to incentives. He said the hotel to find excuses. called me a two- no argument about it. If, as uphold the rule of law with- belongs to the daughter of He said that the Prime faced politician. argued by Hon’ble Prime out causing inconvenience to North Thimphu MP Yeshey Minister’s reaction demon- I have a big face Minister, the supreme court’s the people. Zimba, who was a minister in strated that the government judgment does give the ex- Prime Minister in the BBS the former government. was not willing to debate but I don’t see ecutive the right to grant tax interview said that the fiscal “It is up to the Anti-Cor- on the issue. “We are sad- two faces there.” incentives without the ap- incentives declared by the ruption Commission to see dened with the way our PM proval of Parliament, it calls former government benefited if there was any policy cor- dismissed the democratic into question the very deci- 94 hotels to a tune of Nu 186 ruption,” the Prime Minister views of the Opposition, the sion to table the Fiscal Incen- million in a span of two years had said. Council and DNT, with total tive as a bill in the Assembly.” and eight months. However, MP Dorji Wang- disregard and arrogance,” he Tshering Dorji said that The Prime Minister said di said that a government said. on the other hand, the Coun- that “it could be coinciden- could grant fiscal incentives Referring to DNT’s earlier In an email interview, cil understands that the ob- tal” that (the daughter of a even on the last day of the press release, the Prime Min- the Deputy Chairperson jective for the same was to minister in the former gov- tenure. “Doesn’t a govern- ister said on BBS interview: said: “First of all, I was re- seek approval and therefore, ernment benefited from the ment have the right and duty “They (DNT) have called me ally shocked with the way legitimacy from Parliament. fiscal incentives granted by to function till the last hour a two-faced politician. I have Hon’ble Prime Minister The Fiscal Incentive Bill 2017 the former government). “But of its legal tenure?” he asked. a big face but I don’t see two interpreted my comments, was passed by the National the coincidence is a bit too Dorji Wangdi said that faces there.” which I made in response Assembly as a money bill, stark,” he added. despite being the second Prime Minister Tshering to a question that was asked granting tax incentives from He added that he was re- government, PDP has “not Tobgay said that in defending by a media house along May 8, 2017 and not from vealing the figures since the accomplished” anything. the Constitution, the former the sidelines of the post- January 1, 2016 as initially Opposition wanted the gov- The introduction of fiscal Opposition had never stated session press conference proposed by the government, ernment to collect the taxes incentives and economic the fiscal incentives granted of the Council. I was dou- he said. forgone accepting them as development policy were the by the former government bly shocked with the way Accordingly, he said that illegal. achievements of the former were illegal. Hon’ble Prime Minister has for the period not granted in Dorji Wangdi said that government. The former government questioned the working of the bill, it would be logical to considering the recommen- “We are extremely proud had granted fiscal incentives the House and singled me infer that the incentives have dations of relevant agencies to have pioneered the fiscal thrice – twice in 2010 and out by directly questioning not been approved by an Act like the Tourism Council of incentives and economic de- once in 2013 – without the my experience and knowl- of Parliament. Bhutan and Hotel Associa- velopment policies,” he said. parliament’s approval. The edge as a law maker.” “The argument by the tion of Bhutan, the previous According to him, most of the present government gave Tshering Dorji clarified PM that the tax incentives government revised the first fiscal incentives the present continuity to the fiscal incen- that he had spoken as the granted by the government fiscal incentives twice. The government has given are the tives granted in 2013 without spokesperson of the Coun- until May 8, 2017 is derived aim of revising the fiscal in- continuation of the past fiscal the parliament’s approval. cil without any political, per- from the Supreme Court’s in- centives was to ensure that all incentives. The Prime Minister said, sonal or malicious intent or terpretation, and further the business houses in a certain In the BBS interview, “Our stand then and now is for any publicity stunt. “I did tax incentives from here on sector got equal and blanket Prime Minister challenged the same. The only differ- not see the reason for such shall be approved by the Par- treatment as per the incen- DNT to take the government ence now is having learned overreaction from the PM.” liament in the form of money tives prescribed for that par- to court and prove that it and known what the previous The Prime Minister had bill, implies how convenient- ticular sector. has violated the Constitu- government did just three said that the Deputy Chair- ly, the Supreme Court’s in- MP Yeshey Zimba was not tion. “For DNT to make such days before they resigned. person’s comments were his terpretation and Parliament’s available for comment. comments off the cuff is not We think it’s a good idea to personal views, and neces- enough,” he said, adding that take the powers related to fis- sarily the Council’s. DNT had made comments cal incentives away from the The Deputy Chairper- without proper knowledge government.” son said that he still stands of the prevailing laws. by the statement he made Announcement DNT had earlier called for at the post-session press resignation of the Prime Min- National Council conference.