March 18, 2020
Dear Members,
In my capacity as the head of the Club administration and in consultation with some senior Members of the Club, including the Club President, I had suspended our Weekly Club Meeting for a period of 3 weeks, which runs out this Friday.
Given the serious nature of the virus that has now assumed pandemic proportions, I felt that there is a need to reassess the situation and determine if there is any merit in resuming our Weekly Meetings.
In addition to personal hygiene and regular hand washing and sanitization, social distancing is advised as the most effective means of averting exposure to the virus. Additionally, we are still not past the maximum incubation period of 14 days, since detection of first COVID-19 case in the country.
Thus in consultation with the Club President and some senior Members of the Club, I would like to inform all Members that we will further suspend our Weekly Meetings for an indefinite period or, until the government advises that we are now past the risk phase of the pandemic.
Please note, however, that the term employed here is “social distancing” NOT “social disconnect”.
Bye and keep safe.
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His Majesty the King and the Royal Government of Bhutan are, as they say, on the ball ensuring that citizens are safeguarded and shielded from the threat of contacting the deadly novel coronavirus. To complement the King’s and the government’s endeavors, we citizens must do our part.
The Rotary Club of Thimphu has suspended our Weekly Meeting as of March 6, 2020 for a period of 3 weeks, ending today Friday 20th March, 2020. Since it was determined that we are not as yet safe from the threat, I issued another suspension notice of our Club’s Weekly Meeting - this time for an indefinite period. We will only resume our Weekly Meetings once the government tells us that the threat is behind us.
It is not only the Weekly Meeting – but we have also postponed the handing over of our Nu. 3.5 million agriculture project in Bongo, Chhukha, since social distancing has been advised.
We have also postponed our visit to Gomtu, Samchi to hand over our toilets project there and to start a new one – for the same reason – to avoid large gatherings.
Our plans for a new Nu. 4.00 million project in the agriculture sector in Athang Gewog, Wangdue is also in a state of suspended animation – consultative meetings are not happening.
It is not only our Club but the Rotary International has also cancelled its 2020 Rotary International Convention scheduled to be held in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, from 6 - 10 June 2020. Imagine the Rotary International Convention is the world’s largest gathering – there are only a handful of countries that has the wherewithal to host this Conference. In 2016 Korea hosted perhaps the Rotary’s largest gathering to date – attended by 50,000 Rotarian participants.
No one is taking a chance with this virus. NO ONE SHOULD!
Good decision la. The Government should also encourage working from home.
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