In the days passed, the
Journalist Association of Bhutan (JAB) received cso (civil society organization) status, the National
Assembly (NA) debated complexities with respect to consensual sex and the
National Council (NC) opened discussions on the tenancy act - Three events with
high significance in their respective places due to their legal, illegal and
consensual natures; but all of them very largely affecting society as a whole.
The JAB’s new-found status
awards it with a few previously-unavailable manner of operations, the debate to
clarify on the age range for ‘consenting individuals’ is a start to effectively
sort out the incongruity in provisions of law which is being bent in favor of parties
prevailing situations and not really serving as lawful provisions without legal
loopholes. And the tenancy act discussions were always seen by affected parties
(hopeful tenants and anxious house owners) as that much required intervention
in settling matters.
First off, the JAB getting
a formal tag of a CSO is desirable progress as the association represents the country’s
media and its media professionals, the collective issues and opportunities to solves
those issues for an eventual sound-functioning of the industry pulsating as the
proverbial “nation’s conscience” and the fourth estate.
The legal entity that is
now said to become, the association will have more flexibility to explore funds
to operate various studies, programs and initiatives to enhance the media
situation which has not entirely seen reviews that were all ‘sunny side up.’
Ina report brought out by
the association recently, it was mentioned that media, especially the private
sector was not in the best of its shapes and problems ranged from most house on
the verge of closing shops to media houses seeing a continuous loss of
professionalism and professionals.
The JAB even prior to
receiving a CSO status pretty much served as one in role as it sought to pool
collective recommendations, views and grievances from different units of the fraternity and pass
it on to higher authorities for solutions (especially for the commonly collective
woes).
The NA discussions on
consensual sex brought to light many aspects of the provisions in the penal
code that leaves room for manipulation for deviously-plotting parties while it
also proved to be of unwarranted disadvantage for couples legally and willingly
in a relationship (married or otherwise).
The areas of uncertainty
created by ‘the letter of law’ have seen couples placed in very tight spots due
to legal interpretations of their age while in a relationship. Case in
particular is that of a recent couple where the 20 year old male was sentenced
to a nine-year prison term even after the 16-year old female admitting and speaking in support of her partner that
theirs was a relation based on consensual grounds. The hazy nature of this
provision in law is also possibilities for plotting minds to imprison unwary persons
(especially the men) or blackmail cash benefits both with and even without the
law as a tool.
The Tenancy Act (amendment
bill) was introduced to the NC for discussions and hopefully deliberations this
time around will bring about clear conclusions for the highly anticipating
tenants nationwide.
The Tenancy act, largely
referred to as a law that is ‘all bark (on paper) and no bite (in reality),
nonetheless had always been looked at as a ‘law-backed guarantee’ by many
tenants who feel house owners will go out of control on increasing rents at
their whim regardless of humanly-considerable factors, tenants’ situations
or their collective agreement.
On the plus, however, the
tenancy act was instrumental in house owners and tenants compulsorily drawing
up legal agreements, which should/would be signed at the time of taking up
rental. This to certain degree has retracted the fickle claws of those house
owners angling for an increase in rent every New Year.
Published as Business Bhutan Editorial on November 22, 2014
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