RTI private bill garners less support from NC members
With the rejection from the National Council members to table RTI bill in the upcoming session of the partliament, that begins on June 8, the council members Sangay Khandu seems bit frustrated.
The council members, though few supported his idea, decided against tabling the bill saying the society is too early to adopt it. NC members Tshering Dorji from Haa, Tshewang Lhamo from Chukha, Rinzin Rinzin from Lhuentse, king’s appointee Tashi Wangmo and Ugyen Tshering from Paro supported the Draft RTI Bill. Interestingly, council’s vice chairman Sonam Kinga, who comes from the journalism background (editor of Bhutan observer when it started) criticised the bill.
In his latest blog, Khandu said that in his
….. experience through these four years in office that every parliamentary session and for that matter, almost each plenary of the National Council sitting, issues raised and discussed ranged from delayed land compensation to poor public service delivery, to inaccessibility to certain information or absence of good and meaningful information, from poor accountability to non-uniform application of laws and rules and found a resounding consensus that our good governance initiatives needed strengthening.
There have been media reports where government officals deny information to the journalists. The office secrecy rovision under civl service regulation has been the key point for government officails and ministers to deny any official information public and media. While it is too early to presume that public in Bhutan would come forward seeking information on certain issue from the govenment, even media persons look hesitating.
The NC members pointed out that the bills needs further consultation and discussion before tabling at the parliament. However, there hasn’t been any reports saying what needs to be added. Neither Khandu mentioned about it.
Bhutan is coming out of the closet to build a vibrant democracy and transparent governance. Everything that remained hidden during the absolute monarchy rule should come forth. Though few leaders still have hangover of the monarchic rule, people are moving fast to adapt with the democratic culture. The democratic awareness and imporatnce of right to information among general public is likely to overtake leadership.
Khandu says
…..news of reports with potential to bring out the truth to start an honest discussion not coming out in public, I would think, without grassroots calling for it, could be a logical demand for more transparency. This is one of the primary reasons on which I base the need for such a debate to happen. Unlike laws which need agencies to come out and act, RTI will see the public come forth and use the law and by public I mean individuals, groups of individuals and the news media. ……….This I feel also is an important component of our greater aim of becoming a vibrant democracy and it is in our interest to cultivate and further a culture of democracy.
Many government decisions do not come out in public. They are kept in secret, back in shelves. RTI is thus to empower the people to bring out this secret decision to public forum. Thats strengthens democracy culture and enhences public participation in decision making. The government will be made more responsible to people’s aspiration.
Several deleveration by Sangay Khandu on its importance failed to garner enough support. But there are last minutes hopes as members say they want to discuss the bill further next week. This will not fovour for the bill to be debated in the upcoming session of the parliament.
National Assembly speaker Jigme Tshultim in a letter to council members hindter he disfavours any private bill. The national flag bill which was the first private member bill that had been endorsed by NC earlier and sent to NA has been put away and will not be discussed in the upcoming parliament.
And NC members seems unwilling to support the bill seeing no possibility to support at the National Assembly.
The ruling party and prime minister had promised the RTI act as early as 2008 but was ignored later saying other important issues are to be addresed first. The government is yet to start preliminary draft for the bill.
The media organisations, who are the fundamental part of the Rti bill, have not spoken enough to put pressure on leaders to bring RTI Act as promised.
Read his proposed bill here.