After having had toiled in the field for more than 15 years, Sangay Tenzin, 38, has eventually decided to venture into policy making as one of the aspiring candidates from Trashigang to contest in the upcoming National Council (NC) elections this year.
Sangay Tenzin, after completing B.A Economics (Hons) from Sherubtse College in 2005, stayed back in his village working as a farmer. He also started a poultry backyard farming in Radhi in 2009, besides working as a freelance reporter with some of the newspapers in the country and as party member of Bhutan’s first two political parties.
Hailing from Bongman village under Radhi Gewog in Trashigang, Sangay Tenzin describes himself as an exemplary model of self-employment.
He says it’s heartening to see many aspiring NC candidates this time coming from the government and private sector with years of experience and an increased number of participants compared to the past elections.
“It’s is only going to be good for the people given the many option. So, it looks like our Upper House is going to have the best of the best candidates this time. But there is just one sided representation. There is no one from the common public or from the farming sector. Thus, as a farmer I hope to represent the common people,” Sangay Tenzin reasoned.
“I don’t have any craving for power. I am contesting for the purpose of changing and bringing rapid economic development at the grass-root level and alleviate poverty. This is good not only for Trashigang’s economy, but for our entire economy,” Sangay Tenzin says.
Mainly focusing on what Sangay Tenzin describes as turning the ‘Economic Wheel’ if elected, he says he hopes to push the ideas and share opinions in the parliament regarding the importance of two economic sectors – primary and secondary sector – and the important role of the common people and farmers in creating a strong, solid and vibrant economy of the country.
“Farmers and common public hailing from the agriculture and manufacturing sectors can in fact turn the economic wheel and create stronger economy. This can be achieved by the government targeting on the efficient and optimum level of production in both the agriculture and manufacturing sectors. The increased in the production of goods and services from these two sectors will solve the problem of inflation and cause stronger purchasing power of the consumers via more savings by consumers in the banks. The government could use this savings made by the people as capital source for further investment and enhance the production of goods and services in the country,” he explained.
“The government ought to invest more budgets in the agriculture sector for purchasing different kinds of machinery required by our farmers to kick start farm mechanization nationwide. In the manufacturing sector, the number of smaller and medium entrepreneurships should be increased. This can be done by providing soft loan easily and attractive incentives like machines and equipment for our unemployed and under-employed graduates. Common people under secondary economic sector can also take this opportunity of sole-proprietorship businesses or partnership businesses,” he added.
Sangay Tenzin says it’s important for parliamentarians to understand, raise issues and frame policies and rules after understanding the economic situation at the macro level.
“My duty as people’s representative from the Dzongkhag is to strongly pester the government to push forward with ideology of turning our economic wheel to reach an efficient and optimum level of production in the two sectors in Trashigang,” he adds.
“Of course, there are other issues too, which must be addressed after meeting with the public. On behalf of the Trashigangpas, I must see they are well represented in the parliament. But most importantly, I am here to serve the Tsa-Wa-Sum with utmost faith, sincerity, loyalty and dedication,” Sangay Tenzin says.
Meanwhile, Sangay Tenzin is a divorcee and a father of one daughter.
Staff Reporter from Thimphu
