[Community-Discuss] Accountability assessment - bylaws changes

[Owen DeLong]

I agree with Boubakar here. I think that granting associate membership voting rights is an invitation to organizational capture.

Consider the relatively low voting participation as it stands (IIRC, the last time I was involved in counting an AfriNIC election,
there were fewer than 200 total votes (possibly less than 100)).

Consider that $300/year gets an individual an associate membership in AfriNIC. Even if we assume a 1 year delay to voting,
then 200 * 2 * 300 = $120,000. If a company really wanted to seize control of an AfriNIC election, I do not think that it would
beard to come up with $120,000 and 200 individuals willing to vote accordingly.

I think limiting voting to those that hold internet number resources makes sense because they are the
true stakeholders in the services provided by the organization.

Owen

> On Sep 18, 2016, at 2:44 PM, Boubakar Barry <Boubakar.Barry at wacren.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> On Sun, Sep 18, 2016 at 9:05 PM, Jackson Muthili <jacksonmuthi at gmail.com <mailto:jacksonmuthi at gmail.com>> wrote:
> On Sun, Sep 18, 2016 at 12:40 PM, Douglas Onyango <ondouglas at gmail.com <mailto:ondouglas at gmail.com>> wrote:
> > Hi Alan,
> > Thanks for sharing this document. It will form a solid basis for continued
> > deliberation on amendments of the bylaws.
> >
> > Regarding #1, specifically the Associate Members' right to (or not) vote, I
> > was, and still I am opposed to the idea of rescinding the Associate Members
> > rights to vote.
> >
> > Rationale: when an Associate Member is stripped of  the right to vote,
> > he/she is in reality as empowered -- or un-empowered -- as the rest of the
> > AFRINIC community. AFRINIC would effectively be asking Associate members and
> > prospects to fork out Associate Membership fees, but offering nothing over
> > and above "AFRINIC community" status, which poses at least two problems:
> > First, NO ONE of sound mind, with full understanding of these facts, would
> > want to be an Associate members, and  secondly, AFRINIC would be out-rightly
> > fleecing its members by charging membership fees and providing no value in
> > return, neither one of which is desirable.
> >
> > Therefore, the Associate Membership category should be imbued with voting
> > rights -- or some other value add that is codified in the bylaws, barring
> > which the category should effectively be expunged from the bylaws.
> 
> +1
> 
> If any tier is named "member", such as "associate member"; such tier
> MUST be given voting rights. Absent of this - it would be a useless
> membership status. Why be a member of an establishment that cannot let
> one exercise a simple right like a vote to enable effect change?
> 
> Let associate members vote or get rid of this membership tier. Simple.
> 
> 
> Not sure it's as simple as that.
> 
> Do we want to encourage people/organisations to be be associate members just because of granted voting rights that have the potential of affecting resource members only?
> 
> I know of organisations in which members are happy to be non-voting associate members because it gives them opportunities to contribute financially to the sustainability of these organisations, without benefiting from core services. Just because they share values of these organisations and want to support them.
> 
> We can of course think of advantages we can give to associate members  to acknowledge their commitment and support. But I would not support giving voting rights to associate members. I would rather be for removing this membership category instead.
> 
> B.
>  
> 
> 
> >
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > On 16 September 2016 at 17:17, Alan Barrett <alan.barrett at afrinic.net <mailto:alan.barrett at afrinic.net>>
> > wrote:
> >>
> >> On 10 June, I posted a document describing potential areas for improvement
> >> in the Bylaws as a result of an accountability assessment.  I invited the
> >> community and membership to comment on these issues.
> >>
> >> I have considered the discussion, and I have asked the legal adviser to
> >> draft appropriate changes to the bylaws.  In some cases, I have edited the
> >> legal adviser’s text.  In some cases, more drafting work is needed and
> >> proposed text of bylaws changes is not yet available.
> >>
> >> I attach a document with the proposed bylaws changes.
> >>
> >> Alan Barrett
> >> CEO, AFRINIC
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Douglas Onyango, PRINCE 2, ITILv3
> > UG: +256 776 716 138
> >
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