Labour minister Ngeema Sangay Tshempo will be on leave until the government is confident that it would not be a detriment to the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) investigation in the labour ministry.

Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay said at the meet the press on March 2 that although ACC did not share how far the investigation has reached, they are doing serious investigation. “Until I am confident that we will not be a detriment to ACC’s investigation, we will request the labour minister to stay on leave,” he said. “Until such time we get a go ahead we will request the labour minister to stay on leave.”

He said the government does not want to interfere with the ACC’s investigation. The labour minister had availed leave of absence after the government in January asked the ACC to investigate the various training programmes that the ministry had initiated.

The investigation came after the Office of Prime Minister received several informal complaints on possible incidences of corruption and collusion by the ministry especially in awarding contracts related to trainings in India and Japan.

The prime minister said that the ACC must feel that they have the full support of the government. “Work is continuing in the labour ministry and we are coming up with some new programmes,” he said.  “I feel reassured that the civil servants there are working with a lot of motivation.”

Staff reporter