Hi Ken (and everyone), My heart sank a bit when I read your post and decision not to attend SEG 2020 in Houston under the circumstances..
Speaking from the Mining Committee's perspective, we certainly respect your views on this and your concerns for your staff. As well, your opinion carries a lot of weight amongst us. But there are still 5 months between now and SEG 2020 and a lot can happen in the meantime. So we sincerely hope that not all SEGMIN members will follow your lead and give SEG 2020 a pass, based on the current conditions. Because 2020 being our Mining Summit year, we are already in the process of building a technically excellent program and have been for many weeks and months now, and these include Oral and Poster Sessions, Field Trip, MG Luncheon, Student Event, Committee Meeting and post-conference Workshops. And until we are directed otherwise, as volunteers, along with the many reviewers, we have no choice but to continue our efforts to make this a successful event on behalf of our MG membership, regardless. So, we certainly hope and pray that the conditions will improve such that we can safely welcome as many of you as possible to SEG 2020 this Fall. Hopefully so. I remain confident that SEG will do the right thing when it comes to the safety of its membership. All the best and stay safe, Jean SEG 2020 MG Committee chair From: SEGMIN [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ken Witherly via SEGMIN Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2020 9:54 AM To: [email protected] Cc: Ken Witherly Subject: [SEGMIN] Enough of confusing messages... Dear Colleagues- Yesterday a major geoscience event scheduled for next September at Whistler (https://www.segweb.org/SEG/About/SEG/About/SEG-News.aspx#20200506) was postponed to 2021 due to it seems the new BC government regulations relating to large meetings during the current pandemic. I expect we'll hear the Round Up and PDAC events for 2021 will be impacted as well. The BC government appears to have taken a well thought through approach to the pandemic that combines medical advice and social and economic considerations to build policies which are being clearly transmitted to the public at large. Another geoscience conference most of us are aware of, the SExG annual conference and exhibit, is currently scheduled for a month later in Houston. While the SExG suggests they are monitoring the situation, there is enormous pressure to 'carry on' due to fiscal commitments which need to made years in advance. The venue as well, is in a state that when compared with BC, is truly the 'wild west' when it comes to managing the pandemic; https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/states-reopen-map-coronavirus.html The governor's response is noted below; seems akin to stocking up the Alamo before Santa Anna attacks. The factors and conditions which the BC government have prudently considered are simply not part of the equation in Texas (or in many other parts of the US at either the state or federal level). I have been and remain a strong supporter of SEGMIN and the society but I can't in good conscience, support any of my employees to attend the conference in Houston next October. I look forward to the SExG to make the right call and give us the chance to build a technically excellent program in a safe venue for us all. Stay safe/Ken Texas 01,000 new coronavirus cases Order in place Reopening March 1April 1May 67-day avg. Stay at home began on April 2 and expired on April 30. Gov. Greg Abbott said allowed his stay-at-home order to lapse on April 30, a move that gave Texas, the nation's second-largest state, one of the shortest such orders in the country. Mr. Abbott, a Republican, said that Texas had expanded testing and stocked up on protective equipment. All retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters and malls were allowed to reopen May 1, with limited capacity. Read more ><https://www.texastribune.org/2020/04/28/texas-reopening-restaurants-greg-abbott/> Reopened Outdoor and recreation State parks; Outdoor sports Retail stores Retail stores, malls Food and drink Restaurant dining Entertainment Movie theaters, museums, libraries Reopening soon Personal care Salons, barbershops, nail salons and tanning salons 2019-Condor's 20th Anniversary Condor Consulting, Inc St 150 2201 Kipling St Lakewood CO 80215 USA T: 303-423-8475 Condor North Consulting ULC Suite 311-409 Granville St. BC, V6C 1A3 CANADA T: 604-630-8334 E: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> C: 303-520-5732 Skype-ken.witherly1 www.condorconsult.com<http://www.condorconsult.com/>
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