Strategy for gross national happiness (sgnh) Annexures to the Main Document

The following are the pertinent issues:

1. 
   Existing international and Internet connectivity is very expensive compared to other locations, such as India, due to the huge costs involved in installing, operating and maintaining satellite-based international gateway and also Bhutan’s limited market which does not generate much international traffic. Besides, satellite-based international connectivity has high latency. The international bandwidth available is inadequate to meet the capacity requirements of BPO operations and the proposed ICT Park in Wangchhutaba, Thimphu.
   

2. 
   No fiber optic connectivity for international and Internet connectivity except to India via the Phuentsholing-Hasimara OFC which is not as reliable. Existing cross-border connectivity among SASEC countries is weak.
   

3. 
   No IXP to maximize the existing infrastructural base for internet service provision and foster competitive provision of Internet services.
   

4. 
   Lack of competition in submarine cable access, at the regional level – there are only five international (submarine) bandwidth providers in the SASEC region, i.e. four in India and one in Bangladesh. This impacts Bhutan’s access to submarine cable landing stations.
   

5. 
   Underweight national ICT backbone infrastructure (mostly owned by BTL).
   

For Bhutan to fully reap the benefits of ICT for development and economic growth, with the objective of creating a knowledge-based society, the following two time-based options are recommended:

• 
  Connecting the Phuentsholing-Thimphu OPGW (owned by BTL and BPC) to the Tala-Delhi OPGW – For realization of this option, the matter should be taken up with the Indian Government, involving key stakeholders on both sides. MoIC has requested the MoFA to pursue the matter with the appropriate authorities in India. Overhead OPGW offers advantages over underground OFC in terms of robustness, vandal proof, rodent and termite proof, etc. thus offering high reliability.
  

• 
  Access to Submarine Cable Landing Stations in India and Bangladesh – For redundancy and low latency of the international link:
  

1. 
   Access to submarine cable landing station in Mumbai or Cochin, India, via an appropriate Indo-Bhutan fiber link; and
   
2. 
   Access to submarine cable landing station in Chittagong, Bangladesh via either establishing an SDH microwave radio link or a fiber network from Bhutan to Bangladesh border.
   

• 
  High Capacity, Low Cost Integrated Data Infrastructure – Adopted in the SASEC ICT Development Master Plan developed by the ADB and comprises of three components:
  

9. 
   Establishment of Siliguri Exchange Hub – which will integrate networks from member countries and provide a peering hub;
   

2. 
   Establishment of Country Gateways – to efficiently link to the Siliguri Exchange (For Bhutan, this must be the IXP); and
   
3. 
   Improving Cross-border Backhaul links among SASEC countries, including establishing redundancy, to submarine cables for Nepal and Bhutan.
   

For this part, the paper examines the potential of developing a viable Bhutanese ICT industry in the short, medium and long term. There are three aspects of ICT industry requiring different strategic interventions and plans. These are in the areas of ICT hardware, ICT software and ICT-enabled services (ICTES).

The ICT industry in Bhutan is dominated by hardware vendors. There are 49 ICT firms providing such services. Out of these 36 are located in Thimphu, 8 in Phuentsholing, 2 in Paro and one each in Wangdue, Gelephu and Mongar. The vendors have dealership in computers and related hardware and mostly serve the needs of the government offices. There are also 7 firms registered to provide ICT related education and training. Out of these 4 are located in Thimphu, and the rest are in Phuentsholing, Paro and Mongar. Most of these provide basic training and none offer branded certificates such as CISCO, Microsoft, etc. Some of them also provide hardware vendor services.

Licensing is one of the most important instruments regulators employ in the context of ICT sector reform. Regulators use the licensing process to exercise control over many variables such as market structure, the number and types of network operators or service providers, the extent of competition, the pace of infrastructure expansion and the affordability and range of ICT services available to consumers.

1. 
   An individual (or operator-specific) license is useful where a scarce resource or right is to be licensed (e.g. spectrum) and/or the regulator has a significant interest in ensuring that the service is provided in a particular manner (e.g. where the operator has significant market power). An individual license, often containing detailed conditions, is issued to a single named service provider, through some form of competitive selection process. Examples include provision of basic ICT services, mobile wireless services, and any service requiring spectrum.
   

2. 
   A general authorization or a class license is adequate where individual licenses are not justified, but where there are significant regulatory objectives which can be achieved by establishing general conditions. A general authorization normally sets out the basic rights and obligations and regulatory provisions of general application to the class of services licensed, and often issued without a competitive selection process, i.e. all qualified entities are authorized to provide services or operate facilities. Examples include data transmission services, resale services, private networks, international services, VSATs, etc.
   

3. 
   Allow open entry, without any licensing process or qualification requirements, for certain services that can be governed within rules and regulations generally applicable to the ICT sector such as consumer protection which often come under general business regulation that applies to all commercial entities. Thus, registration requirements or other rules of general application sometimes apply. Examples include ISPs, value-added services, WLAN hotspots, etc.
   

Electronic waste includes computers, entertainment electronics, mobile phones and other items that have been discarded by their original users. Disposed electronics are a considerable category of secondary resource due to their significant suitability for direct reuse (for example, many fully functional computers and components are discarded during upgrades), refurbishing, and material recycling of its constituent raw materials. Definition of electronic waste according to the WEEE 2002/96/EC (European Union):

• 
  Large household appliances (ovens, refrigerators etc.)
  
• 
  Small household appliances (toasters, vacuum cleaners etc.)
  
• 
  Office & communication (PCs, printers, phones, faxes etc.)
  
• 
  Entertainment electronics (TVs, HiFis, portable CD players etc.)
  
• 
  Lighting equipment (mainly fluorescent tubes)
  
• 
  E-tools (drilling machines, electric lawnmowers etc.)
  
• 
  Sports & leisure equipment (electronic toys, training machines etc.)
  
• 
  Medical appliances and instruments
  
• 
  Surveillance equipment
  
• 
  Automatic issuing systems (ticket issuing machines etc.)
  

Electronic waste is of concern largely due to the toxicity of some of the substances such as lead, mercury, cadmium and a number of other substances. To minimize e-waste, some countries make the sellers and manufacturers of electronics responsible for recycling about 75% of products.

For the 10^th Plan, it is recommended that a study be undertaken to determine the magnitude of the problem and suggest a course of action to be implemented during the plan period. The scope of actions could be a combination of new regulations, public education and recycling process. This could also be developed as a business unit for the local entrepreneurs.

An enabling institution for ICT industries provided in other countries is that of the ICT Park which provides ready made spaces for ICT firms to set up shop quickly and without harassment. The service provided includes connectivity and special concessions in the form of tax breaks, fast track clearances, relaxed labour policies, etc. The ICT Park helps in providing small miniscule islands of efficiency and opportunities to connect to the global ICT markets. These Parks then can provide a catalytic impact in improving the ICT industry beyond these islands and to other industries within the country. The proposal for Bhutan is enumerated below:

In the long-term, Bhutan should set up 3-4 ICT Parks, to be called the ICT Parks of Bhutan (ICTPB). The first one can be established in Thimphu, with facilities to catalyze the small, dynamic and largely public sector-driven ICT market to enable job creation and innovation, recognizing the potential of Thimphu to become a national hub of ICT action in government, education and businesses. The ICTP-Thimphu will serve as the model/pilot project for feasibility of replicating similar facilities/services in other strategic areas such as Samtse, Samdrupjongkhar, and Kanglung/Trashigang in the mid- to long-term.
Expected Benefits

• 
  Addresses Bhutan’s needs for ICT first;
  
• 
  Builds ICT skills for the new economy;
  
• 
  Facilitates ICT industry clustering behavior, hence cluster-based ICT markets and FDI promotion;
  
• 
  Establishes RUB-public-private sector links;
  
• 
  Promotes entrepreneurship and businesses as “incubators” (e.g. call centers, data centers, medical transcription services, networking, etc.);
  
• 
  Deploys ICT to employ people, create demand and generate exports;
  
• 
  Connects Bhutan with the world’s development and industry partners;
  
• 
  Improves enterprise competitiveness using ICT (such as through efficiently enabling economic access to Bhutan’s tourism, hydro power, cultural heritage, ecology and governance by the international market);
  
• 
  Links Bhutan with the global economy and Bhutanese entrepreneurs with international businesses.
  

Bhutan’s small market size and skills base do not justify the conventional approach to developing an ICT Park and marketing it to tenants. It is thus recommended that the proposed ICT Park integrate other functionalities with incubation facilities and operations that seek to link to regional and international markets through (limited) public expenditure support. Other risks/constraints include challenging terrain, shortage of trained manpower to sustain the industry, lack of availability of high-quality connectivity at reasonable cost, lack of a one-stop cross-ministerial clearance mechanism, etc.

One of the windows through which communities can access information services is through Community Information Centers (CICs). Within the immediate and medium-term, ICT services including internet and e-governance applications in particular will not reach the homes in the rural areas. Therefore, CICs are a logical means to provide the rural population this opportunity. CICs will be located in population centers such as near geog headquarters and other establishments where there is regular congregation of people. The services to be provided in these centers include media services such as TV and print materials, internet access, e-governance services, e-post, e-banking and electronic fund transfer services. Most of these will be located where there is commercial power supply. But in special circumstances, a scaled down CIC model can also be established using solar power and laptops. The Centre can also provide training in the use of specific applications to students and communities.

Because of the limited domestic market, the growth of the industry will have to depend on catering to the regional and international markets considering both outsourcing and off-shoring possibilities. In principle, outsourcing/off-shoring work will flow to where the labor/talent is the cheapest. India produces 100,000 MBAs a year and 3 million graduates, while Bhutan produces less than 1,000 graduates every year. This is expected to double by end of the Tenth Plan.

We can start now with call centre type operations and move up the value chain. Or we can wait till we have adequate human resources skilled to take us into higher skilled BPOs. In reality the strategy will have to be a mixture of both. The market for outsourcing is there already, and companies in India despite the large pool of human resources are concerned by the high turnover of their staff and looking for alternative destinations to set up their centers. This is an opportunity which we can exploit and set up centers employing the hundreds of Class XII and general graduates. This will enable our private sector to get the necessary experience and open the window of opportunities that prevail in the outsourcing world. While doing so, it will be necessary for the government to play a key role in ensuring the enabling environment in terms of recruitment policies, connectivity, tax policies, etc. to make them viable and competitive. We need to work with the early starters to build up the image of Bhutan as a possible outsourcing destination. At the same time, we need to leverage this platform to get the expertise and input from the outsourcing firms to help us develop our human capacity. We need to build up the right alliances now so that we create a win-win situation for both the parties. The following have been identified as possible industries that the government could look into.

We could establish an ICT Hardware Plant, with adequate facilities to support and develop the capabilities of ICT companies/firms to gradually upgrade from a modest low-end assembly of computers to high-end manufacture of parts and assembly equipment of basic electronic products for local distribution as well as for export.

• 
  Strengthening the existing weak links of local firms and global players for expanding the market for assembled computers beyond our borders;
  
• 
  Manufacture and mass production of consumer electronics to meet domestic needs as well as for export;
  
• 
  Facilitates collaboration and innovation;
  
• 
  Opportunity to market “Made in Bhutan” ICT products and services;
  
• 
  Capacity development;
  
• 
  Employment and income generation;
  
• 
  Space sharing with other industrial establishments;
  
• 
  One national ICT manufacturing cluster.
  

Today most service providers like banks, BTL, BPC, government have their own system for their services. They also have the backup of the system in the same premises. The disadvantage of this is that if there is a disaster like fire, earthquake or a major problem in the network, the system goes down and customer services are affected. Further, while the services can be restored the data will be lost during the disaster. Therefore, it is very critical to have a Data Disaster Recovery Center (DDRC) in the country to assist the service providers. Once set up, we can also market this facility to regional and global firms requiring such services. In the immediate term, the DDRC could be incubated at the proposed Thimphu-ICTPB and at an appropriate time established in some other location.

A Call Centre combines the use of highly effective and empowered company representatives with a service framework that relies heavily on state-of-the-art communications and information technologies. Call Centers are sometimes defined as telephone-based shared service centers for specific customer activities and are used for number of customer related functions like marketing, selling, information dispensing, advice, technical support, etc. Thus, a Call Centre is a service centre which has adequate telecommunication facilities, trained consultants, and access to wide database, internet and other on-line information support infrastructure to provide information and support to customers. It operates to provide round the clock and year round service i.e. 24 x 365 services.

Medical transcribers listen to dictated recordings made by physicians and other healthcare professionals and transcribe them into documents such as operating room notes, autopsy reports, discharge summaries and other documents which then become part of a patient’s medical record.

The explosive impact of computers and ICT on our everyday lives has generated a need to design and develop new computer software systems and to incorporate new technologies into a rapidly growing range of applications. Computer software engineers apply the principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis to the design, development, testing, and evaluation of the software and systems that enable computers to perform their many applications.

Web design combines traditional arts with technical skills. A web designer is not just a web coder; he or she is an artist able to understand the value of image and other visual elements, and knows what impact these might have on the viewers. The web designer works with images and words to create the perfect web layout. To create unique websites, the kind of websites that really add value to the World Wide Web, skilled web designers use various tools. They might retouch pictures and graphics or create astonishing images using programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Basic Paint, Photo Impact and so on. They might use 3D software or Flash to design dramatic layouts that will transport the visitors into another world.

Data processing is a category of ICTES pertaining to capture, digitization and processing of data emanating from various sources. Traditional data processing services comprise of punching data from manually filled forms, images or publications; preparing databases and integrating them. However, with the advent of multimedia and internet, sources have widened to include manually printed documents, images, sounds and video. Equally diverse are the new output media which include databases on servers, hard copy publications, CD-ROM authoring and managing records emanating from internet based queries.

The clients for data processing services are companies/organizations receiving or generating large quantities of forms that are handwritten or typed and time sensitive. These forms can be sent either physically or can be scanned and transmitted to vendor’s facility. The processing may be done using high speed, automated systems reading hand print, check-boxes, mark sense, reader response, bar codes, and most of data slots that is variable on a form. Forms can be processed from hard copy, fax or scanned version.

Investments and logistics for establishing a Data Processing services are a function of the intended services portfolio, scale of operations and size of customers’ operations. Therefore, initially the data processing centre could carry out data punching, editing and compilation for an international publication. Up in the value chain the centre may process data for a large overseas customer, offering services ranging from data entry to database maintenance to back office operation.

Data Networking Services

Computer networks (including the internet, the biggest network of them all) are now firmly established as the information backbone of many organizations. Networks can vary greatly in size and scope, from a few computers on a local network to a vast international set-up.

ICT service industry could be located anywhere in the growth centers and economic hubs. These business units should be clustered together or within close proximity so as to provide the following advantages:

• 
  Sharing of internet connection
  
• 
  Sharing of physical resources
  
• 
  Sharing of utilities
  
• 
  Ease of interaction among firms/companies
  

The clustering of ICT business units will also support collaborative skills development, lobbying, collective selling, and collective product development. Proximity and close linkage with academic institutions could also be an important criterion for placement of the ICT service industry clusters.

Some initiatives have already been made in deploying ICT and media to support different aspects of government administration. Future projects need to address a holistic framework of Good Governance principles and objectives. This entails not just computerization of existing systems but re-engineering the government processes to transform governance and make it efficient and people-friendly. Another strategic approach is to ensure the interoperability of application systems across the different agencies to capitalize on a common database and minimize duplication of resources. The costs of systems development for e-governance applications are usually high but can be recovered from associated efficiency gains. But this may not necessarily be true for Bhutan where because of the small population the transaction volume is far less. Therefore, cheaper solutions need to be explored.

This includes the management and administration dealing with internal clearance and procedures, financial and human resource management, and documentation. Use of ICT in this area will impact in standardizing procedures, automation and speed up decisions and communications within the organizations. This will include the following features:

All government services for the general public including those doing business with the government will be provided through the Bhutan portal which has already been created and functional. Apart from the existing information already available in the portal the following will be added.

• 
  Agriculture Management Information System. This is already under development by the RNR sector. It will include all information about crops and animals and marketing of the rural products.
  
• 
  Basic health and nutrition information and services.
  
• 
  Basic education information and services which will include exam results, placements, curriculum, reading materials for formal and NFE students, question banks, online help on curriculum etc.
  
• 
  Rural-based services: The following services could be facilitated online for the rural population - (i) Timber and firewood permits, (ii) Loan schemes (iii) Marriage certificates (iv) Death and birth registration (v) Other modules could be added as and when required.
  
• 
  Trade licensing and handling system. This should facilitate the online processing and approval of licenses.
  

To speed up the process of developing and deployment of e-governance applications, wherever possible, the existing applications will form the base for future development. Where new systems need to be deployed, possibility should be explored for off-the shelf systems and customization. In addition, most of the tasks should be outsourced to the private sector.

There are less than 100 ICT professionals employed in the central Ministries and agencies, most of them are diploma and certificate holders. Because of the less than optimal utilization of the existing staff, and the fact that development functions would now be undertaken by a single agency under MoIC, their deployment needs to be rationalized. The government agencies should retain staff that are only critical to the maintenance of their systems. General maintenance and network administration functions should be outsourced and the staff reassigned to where they can be more productively employed.

DIT is already engaged in developing Software Development Guidelines. In addition, it should develop and adopt open standards for interoperability of e-governance applications. It is learnt that the National Informatics Centre (NIC) of the Department of Information Technology in India already has developed these standards. This could be adapted for our requirements and environment. In addition, training of personnel to implement such standards would be vital.

Central to quality software development is the establishment of quality management system and their enforcement while developing systems. Bhutan can also adapt the systems in vogue elsewhere, particularly that developed by NIC, India. Training is also another important element in meeting this objective.

The principle of Bhutan’s media is best manifested in the 1992 Royal Decree de-linking Kuensel Corporation and Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS) from the Government giving them the independence on what and how to report. This independence has been further augmented through the BICMA Act 2006 which sets out the principles and the legal recourses to enable Bhutan’s media to report and provide to the public domain any materials that does not undermine the sovereignty, security, unity and integrity of the country. Freedom of press is also enshrined under the Fundamental Rights of the Draft Constitution.

The first issue facing the Bhutanese private media is its financial survival. And this is inextricably linked to the revenue stream from advertisements and government notifications. A level playing field needs to be created to enable the private newspapers to get their share of the business from the government in form of advertisement and printing works.

Government needs to treat all media firms equally in terms of awarding ads and printing works.

The print media should also be allowed to access financing support under a basket media fund (e.g. National ICT and Media Development Fund) which can be funded by donors supporting the media sector or governance programmes. These funds can be used to provide special credits or grants for purchase of equipment, training and related projects within the media sector.

The government should continue to provide support for long-term education, training and workshops for the print media personnel.

Undoubtedly the key player for nationwide broadcasting is BBS and therefore it is crucial that BBS be built up to meet the envisaged role as a Public Service Broadcaster (PSB). Currently, the content of broadcasts especially for TV is limited both in scope and depth. The information is very government-centric and is characterized by the coverage of national workshops and events. There is very little debate, and does not take the stories beyond its surface. BBS does very little in-depth reporting of the core issues contributing to deeper understanding of national events; it has not contributed to exposing people, policies or social malaise that impact the general lives of the population. The cultural programme is dominated by the airing of popular songs and dance sequences of RAPA and clips from school variety shows and occasional religious discourses. There is no drama, no creative programme to excite the intellect of the Bhutanese. There is little evidence that this will change under its current business Master Plan (2005-2010), which is focused too much on network expansion and revenue generation through advertisements and not enough on the content development.

The second issue is BBS’s inability to take advantage of the ICT and the telecom network. While there is now potential for broadband connectivity to every Dzongkhag, the TV broadcasts beyond Thimphu and Phuentsholing use satellite. The GoI is providing the transponders on its satellite for free till 2009. There is no certainty whether this will continue after that. If not, BBS will have to bear the charge for the transponders of US$ 120,000 every year.
The third issue is related to the lack of qualified staff in BBS. BBS employs well over 160 staff members out of which only 34 are in the Program and Production Department. 21 are in the News and Current Affairs Department, 46 are engineers and technicians and the rest are in the HR and Administration Department and Finance/Commercial Department. It is also reported that there is a rather high rate of staff turnover in the BBS.
Recommendations

BBS to focus on content development and improvement

For the next 5 years, BBS has to focus on developing and airing quality programmes to “educate, inform and entertain the Bhutanese public”. Some of the suggested materials are as follows:

1. 
   In-depth coverage of current issues based on well researched materials. There is a wealth of subject matter that one can pick from Kuensel online or public debates in the Dzongkhags and the National Assembly. BBS has to contribute to these dialogues through professionally crafted programmes which excite and help the audience to get a deeper understanding of the issues.
   

2. 
   Bhutanese Drama on themes that reflect the lives and tribulations of its viewers. These original productions should strive to be standard bearers for Bhutanese Films and Arts industry.
   

3. 
   Children and Youth programmes. Considering that over 50% of our population is under the age of 24, BBS has to focus on capturing this audience through programmes that appeal to this group. This is not an easy task especially when it has to compete with Cartoon Network, Star TV and the like. But this is necessary if BBS is to justify its existence as a PSB.
   

BBS is already implementing its HRD Master Plan drawn up for 2005-2010. This needs to be reviewed in the light of the above recommendation. Greater focus needs to be placed on recruiting and retaining talent in the Programme and Production Department. BBS also needs to build and nurture relationships with other broadcasters in the region as well as BBC and other PSBs. Amongst others, this could be an avenue for receiving professional and training support for the BBS staff.

The government should consider licensing another TV company to be run on a commercial basis. This should provide the necessary competition to BBS while at the same time spurring greater local content development.

This is already being done by some of the operators. This will ensure greater variety of programmes and bring in greater competition to this sector. The fees from the license could be used to build up the media fund mentioned earlier, which can be deployed for the development of media sector.

Bhutan has a rich tapestry of unique performing arts. Its oral story telling culture, lozey, ole and tsangmo are some of the finer depictions that have survived the test of times. The annual tshechus held in different districts, towns and villages are also live venues of performing arts. Besides the religious rituals and dances, tshechus are tantalizing platforms to showcase the cultural heritage of the country wherein the best of the community’s artists perform. A study conducted by the DoT in 2004 established that 34.4% of tourists were attracted to Bhutan because of its “unique culture”.

There are some factors that impede the growth of the audio visual and film industry. Because of its higher investment, the issues are particularly more significant for the film industry. The significant ones are detailed below.

The film industry has come thus far with very limited support from the government. But it needs a helping hand if it is to progress to new level of artistic creativity and sophistication necessary to cater to the more discerning tastes of the growing educated mass. Government support is required in two core areas. These are in the area of access to credit and insurance schemes as well as in human resource development. Specifically, the following need to be undertaken:

1. 
   A Films Development Board should be established. The Board should comprise of prominent artists and academicians and provided with an annual budget to enable them to co-finance 3 short film projects and documentaries and two feature films selected through an annual competition of the scripts. These films must depict faithfully Bhutanese culture and social issues in its best.
   

2. 
   Financial institutes should develop a loan package for Bhutanese film projects. Access to micro financing should be extended for small-scale initiatives like DVD duplication units, flexi printing units, cranes and tracks etc. RICB should also extend its insurance coverage to expensive audio-visual equipment.
   

3. 
   Training and education
   

• 
  Script writing – This could be undertaken through scholarships provided to attend any one of the institutes in the region through the HRD programme implemented by MoLHR.
  
• 
  Acting – A school of Drama and Acting can be set up in Bhutan. This could be undertaken on a public-private partnership model. The institute could offer diplomas or short workshops on acting. At the same time, school curriculum should also offer opportunities for young talents to develop their innate abilities in this field.
  
• 
  Technicians – Currently not one of the cameramen has a light meter. Neither is there any lighting technician in the country. As of now all lighting equipment and technicians are hired from India. This needs to be included in the MoLHR’s HRD Plan.
  

4. 
   Movie halls
   

As of now, the industry’s musicians are dominated by amateurs who are more skilled in the creative use of technology such as the electronic synthesizers than true artistic mastery of real instruments. This needs to change with the evolution of population’s taste and discerning power. To help support the qualitative development of the music industry, the government should lend a hand in the establishment of music schools in its more populated urban centers. Children can be taught Music Theory and to play both modern and Bhutanese traditional instruments. These students, trained to read and write music and perform a variety of instruments will in future fuel this industry to develop to greater level of creativity and sophistication.

The growth of the ICT and media sector will depend upon the political will and in most countries the success stories in this sector have been always associated with the level of patronship it receives from key political figures.

Computer and system breakdown are regular features in the government offices. Virus, uncontrolled use of pirated software and lack of adequate maintenance infrastructure and systems all contribute to this problem. While this is considered as a way of life at present, it will be unacceptable in the future as the country begins to depend more and more on computer systems for core government and business services. Keeping organizational information assets secure in today's interconnected computing environment is a true challenge that becomes more difficult with each new ICT product and each new intruder tools. How secured the country’s network is and the mechanism set in place when an emergency occurs will also be a consideration that business firms will factor in while assessing whether to invest in Bhutan.