Bhutan, “A Country Like No Other,” Welcomes SIPA Visitors
Chao and Wagner had worked with classmates last year on a study of government transparency in the Himalayan nation. The project, completed for Schiffrin’s class on Media and Economic Development, was enabled by Schiffrin, who also helped arrange for Chao and Wagner to make their presentation to government officials.
Schiffrin herself had previously agreed to co-lead a three-day media education workshop for Bhutanese journalists. Meanwhile, Stiglitz traveled to Bhutan to speak with government officials about economic matters and take part in a UN panel on economics arranged by one of his former advisees, Hamid Rashid, a Columbia-educated PhD in economics. (In a happy coincidence, the UN panel provided a training example for participants in Schiffrin’s media workshop.)
Wagner, an MIA student concentrating in economic development and international media who expects to graduate this December, summarized his group’s project:
“Earlier this year, a group of five SIPA students worked on a research project aimed at helping Bhutan prepare to introduce Right to Information (RTI) legislation — codifying in law the principle that in a democracy, government information (exceptions for national security and personal privacy aside) rightfully belongs to the people and ought to be made accessible to the public. Similar laws have long been in place in the United States and Europe, and have been adopted in recent years by a host of other countries from Ecuador to Tajikistan. In late May, two of us — Rebecca Chao and I — made the long voyage to Bhutan to meet with Ministry officials, Bhutanese parliamentarians, and international transparency experts to share our findings and recommendations.”
Chao and Wagner also discussed their findings and a proposed bill with host Ashok Tirwa on Business File, a weekly program of the Bhutan Broadcasting Service. The segment explored how greater government transparency could reduce corruption, create economic opportunities, and ultimately benefit all Bhutanese citizens.
Wagner also shared the following anecdote and a selection of photos (see top of page) that begin to convey what he called “the timeless charms and proud traditions of Bhutan.”
“‘We knew this was a country like no other when we launched our daily newspaper and all the editors gathered around with excitement to read the first classified ad we received. It turned out it was from a village man looking to trade a crossbow for a yak,’ laughed Dasho Kinley Dorji, Bhutan’s Director of Ministry of Information and Communications, over a bowl of ema datse, the national dish consisting of fiery chilies smothered in cheese. No doubt he is right: Bhutan, the Himalyan kingdom where progress is measured not by gross national product but rather by gross national happiness, is unique among the nations of the world.”
Schiffrin, the director of SIPA's International Media, Advocacy and Communications Specialization taught at a workshop for economic journalists — “Covering Finance and the Economy” — that was conducted under the auspices of the Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy.
“I’ve been doing journalism training in developing countries for years,” Schiffrin said. “We worked with a small group of Bhutanese journalists whose experience ranged from six years to one month. It was an especially interesting time for a workshop on financial journalism because there is a shortage of foreign currency for exchange in Bhutan.” More›
At the economic forum, Stiglitz, a University professor and codirector of SIPA’s PhD program in sustainable development, discussed Bhutan’s macroeconomic policy in the context of a recent rupee shortfall.
According to the English-language news website Kuensel Online, Stiglitz said the currency crisis is “manageable” and suggested that Bhutan convert some of its currency reserves to Indian rupees.
Further coverage is available via Kuensel Online.