NOW THAT THEY HAVE MY VOTE

Today is March 12, 2008, a very important day for me. I have just sealed the sacred postal ballot form, miles away from my country in purest prayers and dedication. At this point of time I am speechless. If someone is to ask me my feelings now I have no words to describe. All I can say is that I am proud to take part in the first parliamentary election. Along with my country I have made a history.

I remember my Danish friend telling me that she gets utmost satisfaction to vote in an election. If my indescribable feeling is the ‘satisfaction’ that she is talking about then I am afraid that my kind of satisfaction different. It is mixed with emotion and fear. Emotional because we are turning the chapters of our history and fear because we are not soothsayers and we don’t know what lies ahead of us.

As I began to make my final mark on the ballot stream of thoughts ran on my mind. Although I had already made ‘rational’ decision to cast my vote long before it was a nerve-racking moment. I am using the word ‘rational’ here because I have no strings attached to any party and I have voted with full conviction, based on the competence of the candidate and the party. Thanks to the media, especially the BBS radio online where I could listen to the debate between the candidates of my constituency. BBS radio online couldn’t have come at a better time than this.

Is it the right party that I am voting? Will they deliver as they have promised? Is it the right person that i am banking my vote? were some of the questions that immediately came to my mind. From nowhere this responsibility came like a gush of wind. We Bhutanese are so used to living in a nonchalant society and never realized that it will come as huge responsibility. We are so pampered that we don’t care much as long as we get our monthly salary at the end of the month, an increment at the year end and promotion when it is due. It is not anymore.

Now that I have voted for them I would want them to perform to the best needs of the country and the people. They have to prove us that their promises were not just rhetoric. We have the right to question and they have the duty to serve us. They have the responsibility to make our lives better. They have to make us an informed citizenry.

Knowing the fact that most of the rural votes will depend on the number of promises some of the candidates are making huge promises. Sometimes I wonder whether they would be able fulfill their promises. My sister back in the village shocked me when she said, “Let’s see who has better promises for our Gewog.” If the promises are not fulfilled I am afraid 70 percent of our people will think it is a sham, defeating the whole essence of democracy.

Whatever it is, people say democracy is the best form of government. Let’s hope and pray that our form of democracy, as envisioned by Their Majesties the Kings, be a model to look up to and sought after.

I have now realized that why people elsewhere shed blood for this