Sangay keeps Education, Gyari gets Home

Monday, September 19, 2011

Phayul

Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay announcing the portfolios of the new Kalons at the press conference.left to right: Tsering Wangchuk (Kalon for Health), Gyari Dolma (Kalon for Home),Pema Chhinjor (Kalon for Religion & Culture),Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay (Kalon for Education ),Tsering Dhundup (Kalon for Finance), Dongchung Ngodup (Kalon for Security),Dicki Chhoyang (Kalon for Information & Int'l Relations)

DHARAMSHALA, September 19-- Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay announced the ministerial portfolios of his newly formed Kashag (cabinet) at a press conference today.

All seven members of the 14th Kashag attended the formal press meet held at the Kashag Secretariat in Dharamshala.

Dr Sangay kept the Department of Education to himself – a decision seen by many as an attempt to give his promised “top priority” to education. The 43-year old Harvard law graduate in his inaugural speech had proposed to bring out 10,000 Tibetan professionals in the next two decades.

Former deputy speaker Gyari Dolma has been given the Department of Home while Dicki Chhoyang is the new Information and International Relations Minister.

Security Minister Dongchung Ngodup and Finance Minister Tsering Dhundup retained their ministerial portfolios from the 13th Kashag.

The senior most member of Dr Sangay’s cabinet, Pema Chinnjor is the new minister for Religion and Culture while the youngest member, Dr Tsering Wangchuk is the new Health Minister.

Dr Sangay thanked the members of parliament for unanimously supporting his cabinet candidates on the floor of the house calling it a victory for Tibetan democracy.

“Following the devolution of political authority by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, China has been closely watching our democratic functioning. This unanimous support by the parliament is a clear victory for our democracy,” Dr Sangay told reporters.

Speaking in fluent Hindi, the India educated Kalon Tripa thanked the government and people of India for their continued love and support for the Tibetan cause.