Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay in Singapore - Nov 2016

Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay will be in Singapore on 29th Nov to give public lecture at LKY School of Public Policy.

Synopsis

The way parliamentary democracy was introduced in Bhutan is unprecedented in the history. It did not come about through demands of the population. It was thrust on to the people from the Throne by a beloved Monarch who believed that Parliamentary Democracy was the best form of governance for Bhutan even though Monarchy has ensured not only Bhutan’s survival as an independent nation through tumultuous global events but its flourishment as a peaceful and progressive country.

In this talk at the National University of Singapore, Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay of Bhutan recounts the country’s transition from Monarchy to Parliamentary Democracy; the visionary leadership of the Great Fourth King of Bhutan who initiated the decentralization and democratization processes that ultimately led to the introduction of Parliamentary Democracy in Bhutan in 2008; the leadership of His Majesty the Fifth King of Bhutan in ensuring the success of democracy in Bhutan; and, Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay’s own journey in the public life. Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay left a senior position in the civil service to heed the call to public life amidst great reluctance of the general population to take part in the democratic process. He led a two-member strong opposition in Bhutan’s parliament after the first elections in Bhutan. As the Prime Minister, he now leads the country’s second democratically elected government.

Mr Tshering Tobgay

Tshering Tobgay is a Bhutanese politician who has been Prime Minister of Bhutan since 2013. He is also leader of the People’s Democratic Party and was Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly from March 2008 to April 2013. Tobgay co-founded the People’s Democratic Party and was responsible for establishing the Party as Bhutan’s first registered political party. Prior to politics, Tobgay was a civil servant, beginning his career in 1991 with the Technical and Vocational Education Section under the Department of Education. In 1998 he established and headed the National Technical Training Authority and served as a director in the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources from 2003 to 2007.

Date:

Tuesday, 29 November 2016

Time:

9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Venue:

Lobby, Oei Tiong Ham Building,
Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy,
469C Bukit Timah Road,
Singapore 259772

Watch the talk by His Excellency here