[LAC-Discuss] "Conflict of Interest"?

[Andres Piazza]

Dear All, 
 
I will like to share some thoughts with you. When I was reading Erik´s mails and, specially his last request I had a strange feeling. It is public his position as Executive Director of LACTLD and his current job in that institution which gathers and represents the interest of the entities who administrates ccTLD in the countries of the regions (some comercial, some governamental).
 
Despite he said in his previous e-mail that he was talking as Alfa Redi´s Representative in LACRALO and not as LACTLD Director, that position didn´t convinced me at all. I´m aware that ALFA REDI is a Civil Society Organization, making activities in the region an somehow "representing" individual users. I can say that no doubt Alfa Redi as an organization deserves to be recognized as an ALS´s. 
 
But also, every starting law student should know that the idea of "Conflict of Interest" is possible talking about persons or organizations. I know it is perfectly right to be a multi-task person and to work in civil society and to businnes at the same time. I´m also like that and many other LACRALO members are. But is different being involved in "Non Comercial Activities" that being at the same time, in the same or strongly related issues, and in the same exact region the voice of Businnes and also of users. 
 
The point of having User´s Representatives is to listen and taking in consideration the imput of the "weak part", the voice and the special interest of the users. Perhaps users opinion in some moment would be the same that Businnes opinion. But to let the possibility to be different is the reason which justifies the existence of both spaces. 
 
Moreover, when we have discussions with only once voice in the complete opposite direction that the whole users in the region, and that voice is (casuality?) from one of the leaders of other "Group of Interets", it makes me a lot of noise in my head. We should, no doubt, allow Alfa Redi to continue in LACRALO. But, should we allow the LACTLD´s Executive Director to be pretending to represent users interest when it is obvious that he doesn´t? Y strongly believe that we must not !
 
Finally, as I consider myself a plural and democratic person and also as I wan´t LACRALO to still being a Plural, Wide and Democratic space, I ask everyone else the opinion.
 
Warm Regards,
 
Andrés
 
ps: Plus, and strictly personally, I miss the (short) time when AR used to make interesting contributions to the users view in LACRALO (and miss Ruddy).   
_________________________________________________________________
Get Windows Live and get whatever you need, wherever you are.  Start here.
http://www.windowslive.com/default.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Home_082008