New cabinet revealed, Dorjis dominate

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that won this year’s election has announced the names of the cabinet members.

According to the statement they issued this afternoon, following are the holders of the ministerial berths.

Tshering Tobgay from Haa is the Prime Minister of the country.

Damchoe Dorji, vice president of the party and elected from Gasa is new Minister for Home and Cultural Affairs and Norbu Wangchuk from Trashigang is new Minister for Economic Affairs.

Similarly, Mingbo Dukpa from Samdrup Dzongkhar, is Minister for Education, D N Dhungyel from Samtse (Samchi) is Minister for Information and Communication, Rinzin Dorji from Sarpang (Sarbhang) is Minister for Foreign Affairs and the first women minister of the country Dorji Choden from Trashigang is Minister for Works and Human Settlement.

Ngeema Sangay Chenpo Sherpa of Dagana is Minister for Labour and Human Resources, Yeshey Dorji from Lhuntse is Minister for Agriculture, Tandin Wangchuk from Wangde Phodrang is Minister for Health and Namgay Dorji from Trongsa is new Minister for Finance.

Likewise the new ruling party made efforts to take control at the National Assembly as well. The party has proposed Jigme Zangpo from Mongar as Speaker and Chimi Dorji of Punakha as the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly.

Had the Deputy Speaker been offered to the opposition party, the balance political course at the house would have been created.

Similarly, despites talks the cabinet has only one Nepali speaker. Ritu Raj Chhetri, who won the election with highest margin and party’s general secretary Yogesh Tamang were left out. The party choose the Dzongkha speakers from the southern districts as well to maintain northern domination in south. This is not in the spirit of what the party had promised to the southern Bhutanese.

Appointment of Damchoe Dorji as Home Minister means the party tried to maintain distance with the census issue in southern districts. The minister from far north is unlikely to address the issue well by understanding it in depth. And Rinzin Dorji from Sarpang (Sarbhang) getting job in Foreign Ministry means the new government wants him not to take up the issue.

However, the party met its promised to appoint five ministers from east and at least one from Samchi.

The new government is likely to take oath on Friday.