[NA-Discuss] [ALAC-Announce] ALAC Statement on Future Structure and Governance of ICANN

[Cheryl Langdon-Orr]

Finishing my sentence (sigh) to be sent FORMALLY by our staff to ALAC/ExCom
so we can see how late and why etc.,
CLO (multitasking at a NBN seminar sorry)

2009/5/19 Cheryl Langdon-Orr <langdonorr at gmail.com>

> Evan  I would think that this text could in fact be co-signed by the Chairs
> of leadership of EACH RALO (with a tiny bit of tense tweeking  OR they
> should be encouraged to write letters of support listing each of their ALSes
> and the numbers of users represented by each if needs be ;-) and I'll
> certainly ask ALAC to also support but MY name can endorse it regardless...
>  and if that is the case  I'll also send a copy to the Board Public
> Participation Committee for their information/edification as well...
> I'd also appreciate a copy of the original letter to you along with details
> of dates etc.,
>
>
> CLO
>
> 2009/5/19 Evan Leibovitch <evan at telly.org>
>
> Hello everyone.
>>
>> ICANN staffer Maria Farrell recently wrote a letter to the ALAC announce
>> list, scolding At-Large for missing one of ICANN's typical too-tight
>> comment deadlines.
>>
>> In a moment of pique I wrote the response below. Before I send it in my
>> capacity as NARALO chair, I would like to receive feedback on both its
>> content and appropriateness. Personally I'm simply fed up with
>> complaints like this that we can't play the game as well as the vested
>> interests.
>>
>> And ... to At-Large staff ... are Maria and other ICANN staffers not
>> alterted in advance when ALAC statements are to be submitted past their
>> deadlines? I thought that was the case,
>>
>>
>> - Evan
>>
>> ---------------
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Maria Farrell wrote:
>> > In the future, I would be most grateful if you could follow the agreed
>> procedure for submitting public comments to an ICANN consultation; i.e.
>> posting them to the correct location within the time agreed. This is the
>> only way to ensure equity between all contributors and allow us to complete
>> the overall process in a timely manner.
>> >
>> > I understand that it can be a challenge for diverse groups to get
>> comments agreed in time. However, other contributors with similar internal
>> consensus-building processes to fulfill, including the GAC, various
>> government authorities and trade associations, submit their input on time
>> and/or appraise the relevant staff beforehand if there is going to be an
>> issue.
>> >
>>
>> Hello Maria,
>>
>> Respectfully, if the above statement conveys your true sentiment then
>> you do not, indeed, understand At-Large.
>>
>> At-Large, by definition, does not include bodies with financial interest
>> in ICANN outcomes. It has no business models, national interests, or
>> property to protect. Its members primarily do not have English as their
>> first language, let alone the technical jargon that more often than not
>> pervades ICANN policy debate. They do, however, attempt to represent
>> more than 99% of the community affected by ICANN decisions.
>>
>> During my brief history within At-Large I have seen countless similar
>> misunderstandings of At-Large's most difficult role within ICANN. These
>> misunderstandings are manifested through unrealistic deadlines, and
>> other expectations that are based on the assumption that we can move as
>> quickly as governments and lobbyists with interests to protect. When was
>> that last time that At-Large was ever consulted in advance on whether a
>> deadline was reasonable?
>>
>> Some of these misunderstandings, arguably, are institutionalized deep
>> within ICANN. To a casual observer, the idea that ICANN's "public
>> participation" mechanism is distinct and separate from the component
>> that works with At-Large is astounding.
>>
>> If ICANN claims of public transparency and accountability are to be seen
>> as more than a facade, then perhaps it's time to better recognize --
>> throughout the organization -- that the challanges of At-Large are both
>> different and substantially more complex than those of governments or
>> vested interests.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Evan Leibovitch
>> Chair, NARALO
>>
>>
>> ------
>> NA-Discuss mailing list
>> NA-Discuss at atlarge-lists.icann.org
>>
>> http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/na-discuss_atlarge-lists.icann.org
>>
>> Visit the NARALO online at http://www.naralo.org
>> ------
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Cheryl Langdon-Orr
> (CLO)
>



-- 
Cheryl Langdon-Orr
(CLO)