2ND PARLIAMENT OF BHUTAN 10TH SESSION Resolution No. 10 PROCEEDINGS AND RESOLUTION OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF BHUTAN (November 15 - December 8, 2017) Speaker: Jigme Zangpo Table of Content 1. Opening Ceremony..............................................................................1 2. Introduction and Adoption of Bill......................................................5 2.1 Motion on the First and Second Reading of the Royal Audit Bill 2017 (Private Member’s Bill)............................................5 2.2 Motion on the First and Second Reading of the Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Substance Abuse (Amendment) Bill of Bhutan 2017 (Urgent Bill)...............................6 2.3 Motion on the First and Second Reading of the Tourism Levy Exemption Bill of Bhutan 2017................................................7 3. Deliberation on the petition submitted by Pema Gatshel Dzongkhag regarding the maximum load carrying capacity for Druk Satiar trucks.........................................................10 4. Question Hour: Group A - Questions relevant to the Prime Minister, Ministry of Information and Communications, and Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs......................................12 5. Ratification of Agreement................................................................14 5.1 Agreement Between the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes of Income..........................14 6. Question Hour: Group B - Questions relevant to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Works and Human Settlement, and Ministry of Education................................................................16 7. Report on the implementation status of resolutions.........................21 7.1.Report on the implementation status of the resolution relating to Bhutan Children’s Parliament.........................................21 -I- 7.2.Resolution on the implementation status report on the Formulation of Stabilization Fund Rules and Regulations..............24 7.3.Resolution on the implementation status of the Good Governance Committee Report on the feasibility of the Establishment of the Ombudsman’s Office............................27 8. Resolution on the report on situation of elderly by the Social and Cultural Committee.........................................................29 9. Resolution on the Motion on Objection to Corporatization of Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH) by the Opposition Party................................................32 10. Report by the Economic and Private Sector Development Committee (EPSDC) on ‘National Employment Situation’.............35 11. Question Hour: Group C- Questions relevant to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Labour and Human Resources......................................38 12. Resolution on the Third Reading of the Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances, and Substance Abuse (Amendment) Bill of Bhutan 2017 (Urgent Bill).....................................................41 13. Resolution on the Third Reading of the Audit Bill of Bhutan 2017(Private Member Bill)..................................................44 14. Question Hour: Group D - Questions asked to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forest and Ministry of Health............................45 15. Resolution on the Third Reading of the Tourism Levy Exemption Bill of Bhutan 2017 (Money Bill)..................................49 16. Question Hour: Group A-Questions asked to the Prime Minister, Ministry of Information and Communications, and Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs......................................52 -II- 17. Resolution of the re-deliberation on the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering of Financing of Terrorism Bill of Bhutan 2017..........................................................................54 18. Resolution of the re-deliberation on the Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances, and Substance Abuse (Amendment) Bill of Bhutan 2017 (Urgent Bill).....................................................55 19. Re-deliberation on the Tourism Levy Exemption Bill of Bhutan 2017 (Money Bill)...............................................................57 20. Re-deliberation on the Information, Communication and Media Bill of Bhutan 2017...............................................................59 21. Report of Public Accounts Committee.............................................61 22. Ratification of the Resolution..........................................................72 23. Closing Ceremony............................................................................74 23.1 His Majesty the Druk Gyalpo’s Address at the Closing of the 10th Session of the Second Parliament...................................74 23.2 Motion of Thanks...........................................................................77 -III- Annexure Annexure I:Inaugural Address of the Tshogpon Jigme Zangpo at the Opening Ceremony of the Tenth Session of the Second Parliament of Bhutan.......................................................86 Annexure II: Voting list on the Agreement between the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes of Income..............96 Annexure III: Voting list on the Motion for Corporatization of Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH)..........98 Annexure IV: The National Assembly of Bhutan has made the following Amendments and adopted the Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Substance Abuse (Amendment) Bill, 2017 on 27th November, 2017.......................................................100 Annexure V: Voting List on the adoption of the Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Substance Abuse (Amendment) Bill of Bhutan 2017.......................................................101 Annexure VI: The National Assembly of Bhutan has made the following Amendments and adopted The Audit Bill of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2017 on 29th November, 2017..............................103 Annexure VII: Voting list on the adoption of Royal Audit Bill 2017..122 Annexure VIII: The National Assembly of Bhutan has made the following Amendments and adopted the Tourism Levy Exemption Bill of Bhutan 2017............................................................124 Annexure IX: Voting list on the adoption of Tourism Levy Exemption Bill of Bhutan 2017............................................................125 -IV- Resolution of the 10th Session of the 2nd Parliament Annexure X: Voting list on the Re-deliberation of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill of Bhutan 2017..............................................................127 Annexure XI: The National Assembly re-deliberated on Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Substance Abuse (Amendment) Bill, 2017 on 4th December, 2017 and adopted the Bill on 5th December, 2017............................................................129 Annexure XII: Voting list on the Re-deliberation of the Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Substance Abuse (Amendment) Bill of Bhutan 2017 (Urgent Bill).................................139 Annexure XIII: The National Assembly re-deliberated on Information, Communications and Media Act of Bhutan 2017 on 4th December, 2017 and adopted the Bill on 5th December, 2017.........141 Annexure XIV: Voting list on the Re-deliberation of the Information, Communication and Media Bill of Bhutan 2017............180 Annexure XV: Royal Kasho for the Joint Sitting................................182 Annexure XVI: Voting list on the Recommendations of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC)......................................................183 Annexure XVII: Address of the Tshogpon Jigme Zangpo at the Closing Ceremony of the Tenth Session of Second Parliament of Bhutan on 8th December, 2017.........................................................186 Annexure XVIII: List of Members present during the Tenth Session of the Second Parliament.........................................................194 -V- Resolution of the 10th Session of the 2nd Parliament -VI- Resolution of the 10th Session of the 2nd Parliament Resolution and Proceedings of the Tenth Session of the Second Parliament 1. Opening Ceremony The 10th Session of the Second Parliament of Bhutan commenced on the auspicious 27th Day of the 9th Month of the Fire Female Bird Year corresponding to 15th November 2017. His Majesty the Druk Gyalpo was received in an elaborate Serdrang and Chibdrel Ceremony followed by Zhugdrel-phuentsum tshog-pai ten-drel ceremony. Following that, the Speaker on behalf of the Members of Parliament and on his own behalf expressed deep gratitude to His Majesty the Druk Gyalpo for gracing the Opening Ceremony, leaving aside numerous important Royal Engagements. The Speaker also welcomed Her Majesty the Gyaltsuen, Members of the Royal Family, representatives of the Central Monastic Body, foreign dignitaries, senior government officials, armed forces, Members of the parliament and all the people who had come to witness the occasion. The Speaker reported that His Majesty the Druk Gyalpo had personally visited Haa, Samtse, Bumthang, Chukha and Gasa Dzongkhags and granted numerous Kidu to the needy people. Their Majesties accompanied by His Royal Highness