RE: [ga] Increased foreign attendance

[Danny Younger <dannyyounger@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Debbie,

Thank you for your comment.  Those of us that have
that have watched the process for a long long time
understand that ICANN has long denied travel funding
to certain groups.  For example, the elected
representatives of the non-commercial organizations
that constitute the NCUC (Non Commercial Users
Constituency) have never received funding from ICANN
that would allow its GNSO Councillors (from places as
remote and poor as Cambodia) to attend the ICANN
sessions -- the NCUC tends to be critical of ICANN.

Another example, not that long ago I applied to the
GNSO Secretariat to request travel funding for General
Assembly members to attend an intersessional policy
formulating session (and, of course, that request was
denied) -- the GA is usually highly critical of ICANN.
 

In the meantime, ICANN allocates $US760,000 to cover
travel expenses for non-commercial organizational
representatives that are not members of the NCUC -- 

Ultimately, it's a question of fairness.

With regard to your other observations, ICANN can
certainly be faulted for not providing a plenary
agenda well in advance of its sessions.  No reasonable
person that is not funded by other self-interested
parties can plan to attend a conference without even
the benefit of a schedule of activities to justify the
expense of travel, lodging, and time away from family
or work.

Many of us on this list have little interest in
ICANN's inclusion initiatives as long as ICANN
continues to pursue exclusionary policies.  

These exclusionary policies have seen the removal of
all at-large directors from ICANN's board, the formal
dissolution of the General Assembly as a
representative structure and no role for the broader
at-large community of unaffiliated individuals. 
ICANN's exclusionary policies have twice seen the
Board disregard a petition for an individuals
constituency.

Just because ICANN now has a swelling budget (the
result of Board-imposed domain name price increases
that the registrant community has to pay for) does not
mean that we approve of ICANN spending our monies to
gather up a circle of "friends" while those critical
of ICANN behaviors continue to be left out in the
cold.

best wishes,
Danny




--- Debbie Garside <debbie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Hi 
> 
> Just a couple of small observations not directed at
> anyone but rather for
> the thread as a whole.  Technically government
> ministries (supposedly)
> represent the people who elected them. 
> 
> On a further note, many of us (probably most in this
> forum) have an option
> as to whether we spend our money going to ICANN
> meetings.  Questions like:
> is it worth the expense or is it not?  Do I want to
> spend my money on this
> or shall I have an extra holiday with my family? Can
> I afford the time?
> Etc.  Come into play.  For some the prospect of
> going to an ICANN meeting
> means spending 4 years (+) income!  Not really an
> option is it!
> http://www.cbuhaiti.org/about_haiti.htm   
> 
> I, for one, applaud the initiative.  I wish there
> were more such. If there
> were no such initiative, no doubt, members of this
> forum would be beating
> ICANN around the head with a big stick demanding it!
>  Perhaps we could
> change the essence of this thread to how ICANN can
> improve their "Inclusion
> Initiatives" as opposed to griping about
> participants being "paid" to
> attend.
> 
> Regards
> 
> Debbie Garside
> 
>  
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-ga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
> > [mailto:owner-ga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of 
> > sotiris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Sent: 27 June 2007 22:08
> > To: ga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: Re: [ga] Increased foreign attendance
> > 
> > Oh yeah... real PUBLIC participation... employess
> of 
> > government ministries and telcos...  Seems more
> like a stooge 
> > version of the GAC and Business Constituency, but
> without the 
> > suit jackets and ties...
> > 
> > Is anyone really surprised by this?
> > 
> > Yup!  These people will definitely make a
> difference in ICANN 
> > which will work to the benefit of the PUBLIC...
> LMAO!
> > 
> > SS
> > 
> > 
> > >> This is a perfect example of how numbers get
> skewed.
> > >> The amazing part is that they are blowing their
> trumpets over it,
> > >>
> > >>
> > >
>
<http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-26jun07.htm>
> > >> They pay these peoples to attend. To bad I no
> longer
> > >> live in a distant exotic land.
> > >>   I cannot believe that they did not see this
> > >> article as a bad idea.
> > >>
> > >>   Eric
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> ---------------------------------
> > >> Choose the right car based on your needs. 
> Check out
> > >> Yahoo! Autos new Car Finder tool.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > 
> >
>
______________________________________________________________
> > ______________________
> > > Pinpoint customers who are looking for what you
> sell.
> > > http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/
> > >
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> 
> 
> 
> 



 
____________________________________________________________________________________
We won't tell. Get more on shows you hate to love 
(and love to hate): Yahoo! TV's Guilty Pleasures list.
http://tv.yahoo.com/collections/265