Local government scenario
26 January, 2008 – We are anticipating significant and exciting political changes in the next few months. Some of us, especially our politicians, are preparing for the scenario. Some of us are not. Given the momentum of change, it might be time to give it serious thought.
In two months we will have a new government. And, even as the two houses of parliament settle down at the centre, local governments will be preparing to adjust to the overall change. That will be an interesting scenario.The local government arena – both in the dzongkhags and gewogs – are swamped by political activity today. The political dust will settle but the people involved in politics and, to a large extent, the politics, will remain.
The old days are gone. While the executive structure, with the dzongkhag administration and the gups offices, are expected to function as they have always been functioning, there are now new players.
Given our new political culture, there is the risk that the dzongkhag tshogdu and the gewog tshogdey will be politicised. Although all executive bodies and people are supposed to be apolitical we know that individuals at various levels will be influenced.
Another probability is that there might be a political structure that will run parallel to the bureaucracy. Party members are not allowed to run for government offices but will be in close touch with the ministers and members of parliament. They will probably form a more vibrant structure than the civil service at the local government level.
The mutually dependent relationship between parliamentarians and party workers will be far stronger than the bureaucratic culture where the contact between the centre and the dzongkhags have always been weak. Which means that party workers could dominate civil servants.
The local government structure has been developed but has currently fallen short of the DT and GT acts that would provide the legislative guidelines for their functioning. And there will be issues left to interpretation in the early days of the new system.
Are our government ministries prepared for the system? If not, isn’t it time to get ready? Civil servants need to be prepared, not to resist the new government and not to protect any current inertia, but to be more effective in the new system of government. The well being of the people, more than ever before, depends on their professionalism.
This is not just the mandate of the government ministries but a responsibility on every public servant, particularly those working close to the people, in the dzongkhags and gewogs.
Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility.
Source: Kuensel Editorial