RE: [ga] The North American DNSO BoD chair

[R.Gaetano@iaea.org]

Kent Crispin wrote:
> 
> On Tue, Oct 12, 1999 at 08:59:24PM -0700, Mark C. Langston wrote:
> > 
> > 
> > ...had better be Karl Auerbach.  With 40+ supporters, he 
> has twice the
> > support of any other regional candidate.
> 
> Sorry, that doesn't follow.  All it indicates is that people who
> support Karl took Roberto's idea to mind, and that most of the rest
> didn't.  According to the *actual* rules of the game, 10 supporting
> messages were all that were required, and after that there is no need
> to send in any more.  So therefore, if your favorite candidate has 
> already got more than 10, no need for you to act...
> 

Thank you for giving me credit for the idea, but I think it is not deserved.
Several people were thinking that the GA (i.e. the "ordinary people", that
are not part of any constituency - yet) should have a more active role in
the DNSO (maybe you too?).
 
> > For The NC to ignore this would be a travesty.
> 
> No, it is *absolutely necessary* for them to ignore it.  If they did
> not, it would penalize those who took the rules at face value.  (And
> I *know* what a stickler you are for following the rules.)
> 

I disagree that "it is *absolutely necessary* for them to ignore it".
They are not obliged to listen, but they are also not obliged not to listen.

The problem is a political one, and involves the role of the GA, and the
relationship with the Council.
The tendency at this point in time is give all power to the Council, and
delegate the GA to the role of powerless spectator: this is something that
the GA will not swallow easily, and therefore the problem is to which extent
the Council will go on its way without taking into account the POV of the
"general membership".

The answer in 48 hours: there are two candidates that have wide popular
support, Karl Auerbach and Nii Quaynor. Both push, in different ways, for a
definite role of the GA in the DNSO. Will the Council reaffirm its authority
or will it make a conciliatory move? I bet on the former, but cannot avoid
to say loud and clear that the latter will be a wiser move in the long run.

BTW, up to naw Nii is the only candidate representing a region not yet
represented on the Board. ASO is likely to elect one each form ARIN, APNIC,
RIPE-NCC, while PSO is likely to be an internal affair of technologically
advanced countries. Ergo, the only chance for Africa to be represented
before the establishment of an at-large Membership (which may take forever)
is to elect Nii.

But Nii is one of the people that have popular support from the GA, and that
think that the GA has a role in the DNSO. Will the Name Council push its
power struggle to the point that it will have to carry the responsibility
(and the shame) of barring the entry to the BoD to the only African
candidate?

The answer in less than 48 hours.

Regards
Roberto