[lac-discuss-en] CRISTIAN CASAS-CETIC - LACRALO Presidency election

[Carlton Samuels]

Dear Christian:
I was inclined to say all that you wrote was not worth a warm bucket of spit
but then I decided that the translation of your remarks may be the culprit
that has placed you in a bad light. It appears to me you were making a
political speech about human rights and all that. Because you choose the
topic and before you go off on a frolic all your own, it might be useful for
you first to educate yourself on process.

As the presiding officer, I ordered the vote for Chair, LACRALO.  The raw
votes - meaning the hands raised in favour of one or other candidate - were
counted and recorded by Matthias Langenegger of At-Large Staff.

Upon my direction, Matthias read all the raw votes as were recorded.  By
taking this action, all members were given an opportunity to hear their
votes and correct the record, as necessary.

I am going to be generous and say your struggle and mental anguish seems
based on a profound misunderstanding of the *value* of the votes. Not all
votes have the same value because each *country* in the LAC region is
allocated the same percentage of the vote. Consequently, the more ALS there
are from any country, the smaller the weight of their individual vote.

In assigning value to each vote, a mistake was made and value was not given
to the Devnet vote.  Because of this mistake, a wrong result of the vote was
communicated by me, the presiding officer, naming Sergio Salinas Porto the
Chair of LACRALO.

Contrary to the partisan cant and bullshit, Sergio was not elected.   I
voted for him too.  But he lost fair and square. However, it seems he wants
to be Chair so bad it has clouded his judgment and infected yours.

You struggle with understanding that in *democratic elections*, it is *the
vote* that makes winners........and losers.  If the history of elections in
your own country can be used as guide - as evidenced by Fujimora and Garcia
etc - I can readily understand how this experience might influence how you
think about this.  Please disabuse your mind.  It is the *calculation* of
the value of each vote that is wrong, NOT the vote itself.

I know the argumentation is probably based more on partisan and fraternal
relations with Sergio Salinas Porto than not. But since I voted for the guy,
let me suggest a more useful way forward for you. I would encourage you to
let the facts and reason guide your pronouncenements. Ensure that your vote
at least was recorded correctly and its value accounted. Once that is done,
we will understand that herefter, any comment you make on this matter is all
sound and fury but signifies nothing.

Kindest regards,
Carlton Samuels