Zero tolerance – Empty claim?
Appointment of Bhutan Post CEO endorsed but board of directors replaced
29 November, 2008 – Are we serious about fighting corruption?
The chairperson of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Neten Zangmo, asked Kuensel, after the cabinet passed its final ruling on November 25 on the controversial appointment of Bhutan Post corporation ltd’s chief executive officer (CEO).
The appointment of the CEO came under scrutiny after one of the unselected candidates alleged that the selection procedure was flawed and unfair. ACC investigated the case and submitted a report to the government on September 15 proposing “serious actions” to be taken against concerned officials involved in the appointment.
The cabinet, after reviewing the case, said that the selection committee had not abided by the announced selection criteria because, as per the said criteria, none of the applicants qualified. They decided to replace the current board of directors of the corporation and severely reprimand the board members and the selection committee.
The acting secretary of ministry of information and communication (MoIC) and the chairperson of the board, who also chaired the selection committee, Phala Dorji, will be changed, according to a cabinet press release.
However, the cabinet did not reconsider the appointment of the selected applicant, Tsheten Gyeltshen, the former deputy secretary of MoIC, who did not fulfill the selection criteria. According to the cabinet, Tsheten Gyeltshen was not found to be at fault, but the chairman, Phala Dorji, had ambiguously presented the decision of the board to the MoIC minister. The minister approved the appointment.
Tsheten Gyeltshen would be on a year-long probation since he had already resigned from the civil service.
But ACC proposed to revoke the appointment, to take serious action against the acting MOIC secretary and to take appropriate action against the MoIC minister, who endorsed the selection results of the new CEO, board members and some officials of Bhutan Post.
Neten Zangmo said that it was a simple, proven case of blatant disregard to the guidelines provided by the government and decisions taken by the board. “If the government’s strong policy on zero tolerance towards corruption has to be translated into action, the action itself has to be firm and speedy.”
The selection criteria announced in August stated that the candidate should have a bachelor’s degree, preferably in business management or related field, and a minimum work experience of 15 years. The candidate should have also served in a similar position for three years before or must have been in the executive level in the civil service. According to a Kuensel source, none of the five candidates, who participated in the interview, met the criteria set by the finance ministry, which looks after the affairs of the corporation. But Tsheten Gyeltshen, who had then not resigned from MoIC, was selected for the post.
As the investigation was on and the government reviewing the case, the formalities for resignation and acceptance of Tseten Gyaltshen were simultaneously going on, according to the Kuensel source. On September 1, ACC started investigation and on September 3, Tsheten Gyeltshen’s resignation from MoIC was accepted.
But during the 41st board meeting of Bhutan Post in late September, they made a decision to withhold the appointment, as it was mired in controversy, and wait for directives from the government, according to the source. But the chairperson, Phala Dorji, confirmed that the minister of MoIC had approved the appointment. Tsheten Gyeltshen joined office on October 1 after the acting secretary issued the office order. “As per the company’s rule, the sector ministry responsible, MoIC, did not have the authority to approve the appointment but to recommend it to the government and seek its directive,” said the source.
ACC officials said that the action against the implicated officials were not concrete. “But ACC will keep fighting and fight harder,” said the chairperson.
By Phuntsho Choden (Kuenselonline)