Skip to main content

English translation of His Majesty’s Address to the Nation on 22 March 2020


Starting tomorrow, our land borders will be sealed.
We are compelled to take this drastic measure in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. As you have been made aware through various government bulletins, the virus is spreading, causing immense disruption worldwide, and drawing closer to us each day.
At such a time, the health and safety of the people of Bhutan is of the greatest priority, and as such, we are putting in place every measure necessary to safeguard the people of Bhutan.
Should those of you who are abroad at this time wish to return home, the government will help you. I ask those of you who are studying or working abroad, not to worry.
COVID-19 will cause great disruptions to the global economy, and Bhutan will not be an exception. The economic repercussions will not just impact a select few sectors, but each and every one of us. At such a time, we must exhibit the strength that comes out of our smallness, remain united and support one another. During such exceptional circumstances, the government will take the responsibility of alleviating any suffering to the people due to the virus.
As you know, all schools have been closed as a preventive measure, and children are at home instead of in their classes. We do not know when the situation will improve and schools can be reopened again. Parents must guide their children, and children must take it upon themselves to use this opportunity to continue studying- at your age, education should be your most important concern. Do not waste time.
On the part of the government, there are already plans to make learning materials as widely available to students as possible. Internet providers, television, and even newspapers, have been tasked to bring learning materials to you. Therefore, it is your responsibility to take advantage of the avenues that will be made available to you.
According to experts, the elderly population is at the greatest risk from COVID-19. We must take care of our elderly, protect them, and ensure that their environment is safe and clean.
As a small country with a small population, we can overcome any challenge we are faced with, if the people and the government work together.
It is important, however, to not lose sight of our national objectives, and aim to bring normalcy as soon as possible so that when this pandemic is behind us, we can continue to work on making our future better and stronger. In the meantime, we will continue to work ceaselessly through this challenging situation.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

His Majesty The King’s Address at the 14th RUB Convocation - 24 May 2019

I am very happy to be here with all of you today to celebrate the 14th Convocation of the Royal University of Bhutan. As always, I will begin by reflecting on our past. Knowledge of our past is important as it helps us to understand where we are today as a nation and perhaps also develop a sense as to where we may be headed as we look to the future. It is well known that our forefathers, under the leadership of successive Monarchs, have worked tirelessly through the generations to bequeath to us a strong and successful nation. When I reflect on our achievements, it is evident that our success as a nation can be attributed mainly to the wisdom, foresight and courage of our forefathers to always take the right decision at the right time.  For example, when the global development agenda was focused largely on enhancing material wellbeing, measured solely by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Bhutan introduced the novel concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH), a holistic per...

Translation of His Majesty’s Address to the Nation, 10th April 2020

The world is faced with an unprecedented challenge due to the spread of the novel coronavirus. The risks unleashed by this pandemic are escalating by the day. Realising that Bhutan will not be an exception to the adverse effects of this global pandemic, we have planned and implemented various strategies to cope with the threat in a timely and effective manner. Adopting a cautious approach, Bhutan stopped the entry of tourists to prevent the virus from entering the country. We have quarantined every Bhutanese returning home for 3 weeks to eliminate all possible risks of local transmission. Given the vulnerabilities arising from unchecked movement of people along our long and porous borders, we have also sealed the borders and enhanced vigilance. It is inevitable that such measures will have an adverse impact on the lives of our people. For example, businesses of small shopkeepers have declined, and the tourism and hospitality sector is at a standstill in the absence of touris...