[lac-discuss-en] Participation in Internet Names & Numbers Policy Development - LAC Style

Carlton Samuels carlton.samuels at gmail.com
Thu Aug 18 23:49:59 UTC 2011


Dear Fatima:
The LACRALO teleconference ended before I could respond to your final
contribution.   Please forgive me if the translation corrupted your
statement but as offered to us on the English channel, you are recorded to
say my position on the LACRALO bye-law changes is not about participation
but "something else".  The translation also alleges your use of the term
'bribery' in reference to my position.

You are dead wrong on the first and misguided on the second.

If what was attributed to you is fact, then there is a fundamental
disconnect in our understanding of what "participation" means in the context
of Internet names and numbers policy development in ICANN.

The sole purpose of LACRALO is to collect and funnel policy development
advice to ICANN thru the ALAC. I do not feel burdened to defend my
participation in policy development in the At-Large community in general nor
in LACRALO in particular.   And my participation and contributions in the
ALAC are matters of public record.

I will laser on participation in LACRALO specifically with reference to one
really weak indicator proposed to measure "participation"; attendance at
LACRALO teleconferences.

We have not managed a quorate teleconference in the last 3 teleconferences.
 LACRALO's business is official and binding when it is quorate. The quorum
for LACRALO teleconference is eight (8) ALS.

Starting at the macro level, there are 36 accredited ALS in LACRALO; and
soon to be 37.  Of these, 9 of them, 25% of the total, are from the
Caribbean and distinctly English-speaking.  This means 75% of ALS are from
Latin America.  Purely by the laws of mathematics and as a proportion, Latin
American ALS provide 75% of quorum opportunity for LACRALO teleconferences.

For the most part, at least three (3) but no less than two (2) Caribbean ALS
make LACRALO teleconferences; the Secretariat is almost always present.  So
even when the Caribbean contributes a respectable 25% of the quorum target,
LACRALO fails to reach quorum.

This failure of quorum and its impact on the throughput of LACRALO business
actually penalizes the Caribbean moreso than Latin America.  So purely as a
matter of participation, the Caribbean's interests are not well-served.

Let us compare the foregoing to LACRALO elections. The rule says 50% +1 of
accredited ALS is required for a quorum.  That is, at least 18 ALS must be
present and voting.  I cannot ever recall a lack of quorum for a LACRALO
election.

Colleagues from Barbados and Jamaica have said that an inability to
communicate with their representative to ALAC is in fact a burden to them
and a disincentive to participate in LACRALO's business.  They have told me
this is in effect, a degradation of their right to effective representation.
 I am now unanimous that there is no successful contradiction to this
rationale.

So here's the thing. Using your popular measure of "participation", I have
an interest in acting so as to raise the Caribbean participation from its
usual 25% and much closer to 50% of its ALS.

And I have a compelling interest in responding in a concrete way to their
call for  effective representation.

Kind regards.
Carlton

==============================
Carlton A Samuels
Mobile: 876-818-1799
*Strategy, Planning, Governance, Assessment & Turnaround*
=============================


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