Pema Gyamtsho (Dzongkha: པདྨ་རྒྱ་མཚོ།, Wylie: pad+ma rgya mtsho, born in 1961) is a Bhutanese politician who served as the Second Party President of the Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly of Bhutan from 2013 until his resignation to become the Director General of ICIMOD in 2020.[4] He also served as the Minister of Agriculture and Forests in the first elected government of Bhutan.
Pema Gyamtsho | |
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པདྨ་རྒྱ་མཚོ། | |
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Leader of the Opposition | |
In office 7 November 2018 – September 2020[1] | |
Preceded by | himself |
Succeeded by | Dorji Wangdi |
In office 13 July 2013 – 1 August 2018 | |
Preceded by | Tshering Tobgay |
Member of the National Assembly of Bhutan | |
In office 31 October 2018 – 2020 | |
Succeeded by | Dawa[2] |
Constituency | Chhoekhor-Tang |
In office 2013–2018 | |
Constituency | Chhoekhor-Tang |
In office 2008–2013 | |
Constituency | Chhoekhor-Tang |
President of Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party | |
In office 3 December 2013 – September 2020 | |
Preceded by | Jigme Thinley |
Succeeded by | Dorji Wangdi |
Personal details | |
Born | [3] | 15 November 1961
Political party | Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party |
Career
editIn 1990, he took M.Agr.Sc (Hons) from New Zealand,[5] with a thesis on lucerne grass, and in 1996 he took Ph.D. from ETH Zurich. He was a member of the Planning Commission, Sustainable Development Secretariat, Centre for Bhutan Studies, Forestry Development Corporation Board and Founding Co-Chairman of Bhutan Water Partnership. Later he was promoted to the Deputy Secretary of Policy Planning Division, Ministry of Agriculture. He has also worked with ICIMOD based in Kathmandu, Nepal as a specialist in watershed. Ultimately he became the Deputy Resident Coordinator of Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation.[6]
In 2007, he became a member of DPT, and his name was registered in the constituency of Bumthang District for the General Election (the election of National Assembly). In March 2008, he won a clear victory in his constituency,[7] and in April same year he was appointed the First Minister of Agriculture and Forest in the Democratic Government of Bhutan. In 2013, he ran for re-election in the General Election. While DPT was beaten by People's Democratic Party (PDP) in this election, he was elected the Member for the second term.[8]
In July 2013, Jigme Thinley who had been the former Prime Minister and the Party President of DPT submitted the resignation for the Member of National Assembly before beginning its Legislative Session. So on 24 July same year Pema Gyamtsho was appointed the Opposition Leader in NA for the Second Legislative Session.[9] On 3 December same year he was also elected as the new DPT's Party President.[10]
Honours
edit- Bhutan :
- The Royal Orange Scarf (7 November 2018).[11]
References
edit- ^ Subba, MB. "Opposition Party embraces new leadership". Kuensel.
- ^ "DNT's Dawa secures more than 62 percent of the total votes cast, Chhoekhor Tang bye-election". BBS.
- ^ "Bumthang". Ipa Journal. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
- ^ Newspaper, Bhutan's Daily. "OL formally tenders resignation". Kuensel Online. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
- ^ Gyamtsho, Pema (1990). Performance of lucerne/grass mixtures under different grazing durations and soil depths in a dryland environment (Masters thesis). Research@Lincoln, Lincoln University. hdl:10182/2116.
- ^ Gyambo Sithey and Dr. Tandin Dorji (2009), p.240.
- ^ Gyambo Sithey and Dr. Tandin Dorji (2009), p.241.
- ^ National Parliamentary Election 2013: General Elections Archived 1 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Election Commission of Bhutan Official Homepage. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
- ^ Dr. Pema Gyamtsho to head the OppositionBhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS), 24 July 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
- ^ OL, the new DPT president BBS, 4 December 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
- ^ "His Majesty confers Dakyen to PM, appoints ministers and grants Orange Kabney to Speaker, OL". 7 November 2018.
Footnotes
edit- Gyambo Sithey & Dr. Tandin Dorji, Drukyul Decides, Centre for Research Initiative (Thimphu), 2009.