Re: [ga] Can someone explain how ICANN spends $1 million/yr+ on telephone costs?

["Jeffrey A. Williams" <jwkckid1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Debbie and all,

  I understand your concern as you expressed in your last paragraph
below.  But yes, as it seems that DOC/NTIA isn't doing it's oversight
as well as it should or might, it is up to the public by default to pick
up the slack, after all it's our money that ICANN is spending, and yet
their registries and registrars set the prices we all pay one way or another,
for Domain Name registration and maintenance, we therefore would be
foolish not to keep a close eye on ICANN's spending activities and/or
preferences, and if waste is evident, ICANN needs to be called to
task, phone expenses included.

  This is what openness and transparency is all about or at least
includes.  ICANN officials seem to not yet "Get it", not to mention
that expensive junkets for retreats, ect., are also a questionable
expenditure as are extravagant ICANN meetings across the globe
where the hosting country doesn't at least offset a good part of those
costs/expenses, are two more examples of extravagant spending by
ICANN that needs curtailing, if not eliminating.

Debbie Garside wrote:

> Hi
>
> I have to say, I would be interested to see a break down of the $1 million
> spent on communications.  I also think that if anything over (say) 50% of
> this figure is being paid to one organization this should be made public.
> It is an extraordinary amount!
>
> IMHO, there also ought to be a competitive tender process put into place in
> the near future - if, indeed, there isn't already.  Do ICANN have a
> procurement policy?
>
> However, on the subject of staff remuneration being in the 50-70th
> percentile,  have you seen how much flack they get in their job - much of it
> coming from this list!  Above and beyond the call of duty!  Can you imagine
> working everyday whilst having to look over your shoulder for the 3 wise
> monkeys armed with knives winging their way towards you should you so much
> as tip over the tippex!
>
> Best
>
> Debbie
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-ga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-ga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
> George Kirikos
> Sent: 05 February 2009 00:37
> To: ga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx; Roberto Gaetano
> Subject: RE: [ga] Can someone explain how ICANN spends $1 million/yr+ on
> telephone costs?
>
> Hi Roberto,
>
> --- On Wed, 2/4/09, Roberto Gaetano <roberto@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > As far as I know the telephone costs include the costs of
> > all
> > teleconferences for all ICANN bodies (Board, Board
> > committees, working
> > groups, SOs, ALAC, RALOs, etc.)
> > Before we start arguing about skype and other means
> > available in the
> > developed countries, let's remind that these calls have
> > to be joined by
> > folks who are all over the world.
>
> Thanks for replying. It still sounds like a lot of money to me, given that
> if one does a search in Google for "conference calls", there are a lot of
> providers out there willing to do it for 4 cents/minute per user or less
> (and one can probably negotiate it to be less given the scale at which ICANN
> is spending, presumably six figures). Of course non-US or non-Euro calls
> might be a bit higher, but if one combines VOIP with purchases of DID
> forwarding numbers in certain countries, the costs have really been going
> down over the past few years. And if it could be 4 cents/minute for 95% of
> users, and the other 5% get subsidized calls (send them a calling card or
> something). Tender things out, and see what happens (I'd be curious to know
> the current average cost per minute per user, for example).
>
> Perhaps create a bounty, let ICANN staff keep 10% of the cost savings as a
> one-time bonus, weighted towards the individual(s) responsible for finding
> the savings or efficiencies. This would provide some incentives to be
> frugal, especially in the current economic climate. Right now, there doesn't
> seem to be any urgency on ICANN's part to find cost savings. They should be
> trying harder, as it's our money they're spending.
>
> As you are likely aware, $4.6 million was lost in the stock market by ICANN:
>
> http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090203_icann_blows_46_million_stock_market/
>
> and ICANN has been paying salaries above what they should be:
>
> http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090105_icann_for_profit_companies_comparable
> s/
>
> I don't care what people do with their own money, but when they're spending
> other people's money they have the highest duty to ensure that those funds
> are spent wisely, down to the last penny.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> George Kirikos
> http://www.leap.com/
>
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Regards,

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