Vehicles: Finance minister Namgay Dorji said he is unsure whether the Cabinet ministers can keep the Prados that the government procured recently once their tenures end.

This was in response to a supplementary question posed by Khamey-Lunana MP Pema Dukpa during the Question Hour on November 29 on whether the Cabinet ministers could turn the government procured Prados into private vehicles.

Despite the Speaker asking the Cabinet ministers to respond to the question thrice, none of the ministers took the opportunity to answer.

The finance minister, in fact, diverted the response to supplement the foreign minister on the improved economy of the country.

While the Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay was not present during the deliberation, he returned the government vehicle granted to him at the end of his tenure as the Opposition Leader (OL) in 2013. Many Bhutanese appreciated the gesture.

The Prime Minister, as the OL then, cited that his conscience did not permit him to keep the vehicle.

While no one deliberated the issue during the session, it was learnt that MPs had discussed it outside the Assembly hall, with many questioning the Cabinet ministers.

An MP, who wished not be named, said there is disbelief that the ministers could possibly keep the Prados. “I even told the ministers if their conscience would let them take the Prados.”

Staff reporter