[Community-Discuss] Cotonou Meeting
Ali Hussein
ali at hussein.me.ke
Thu Jun 21 03:15:08 UTC 2018
Andrew
We can agree to disagree. I don't dispute the problems. I don't think
anyone does. What I dispute is the method. This is not how we build
community. As Africans, if there is something wrong in the village, you
don't burn the village... Is all I'm saying..
*Ali Hussein*
*Principal*
*AHK & Associates*
Tel: +254 713 601113
Twitter: @AliHKassim
Skype: abu-jomo
LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim
<http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim>
13th Floor , Delta Towers, Oracle Wing,
Chiromo Road, Westlands,
Nairobi, Kenya.
Any information of a personal nature expressed in this email are purely
mine and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the
organizations that I work with.
On Wed, Jun 20, 2018 at 7:00 PM, Andrew Alston <
Andrew.Alston at liquidtelecom.com> wrote:
> Ali,
>
>
>
> Actually – what I did and what I said on the board – I am quite happy for
> the board to open the NDA and let us publish that. I am tied – I cannot
> reveal that which I said and did there – and I would WELCOME a chance to do
> that.
>
>
>
> I asked the board to publish the audit-co report – they refused. Let’s
> lift the seal on the executive sessions. Let’s lift the redactions. Let’s
> be open and transparent about what was said – Let us open the board list to
> public scrutiny.
>
>
>
> Bring it on.
>
>
>
> What was I doing though Ali? I was trying for years to fix the
> organisation – as I might add were certain other former board members. In
> some areas – we succeeded – in others – we failed – and I have no problem
> saying that. What scares me is – a lot of the gains – now seem to be going
> backwards. As stated – look at the travel costs that are now at the
> highest level since 2014.
>
>
>
> My scorched earth policy Ali, is based on an intimate knowledge of the
> internals, of things I have seen, and from trying – and realizing that the
> problems related to the board and the management – those – I still think we
> MAY be able to fix – if we start over – if we stop clinging to the past –
> if we remove institutions which allow people to hang around for a MINIMUM
> of **18** years. However, such a fixes, require the board and the
> management to actually engage and be accountable and WANT to fix it. It
> requires people to analyse the issues – and be willing to talk about them.
> It requires people to submit to the member base to which they are
> accountable. I see none of that. I see a situation where – the
> transparency that we do have today – was created by controversy that was
> stirred in Djibouti – because without it – no one cared. It required a
> lightning rod – but the transparency is now being eroded.
>
>
>
> If you believe for half a second that I spent years and hours and hours
> doing this for fun, or for a joke, then – think again my friend – I fight
> for what I believe in, and I believe in this continent, I believe in the
> need for the internet to grow and florish, I believe that light on a fiber
> knows no borders, no race, no oceans, no languages, no politics – and I
> believe that this has been forgotten as people have stepped into a world of
> pure hegemony that was allowed to occur through member apathy.
>
>
>
> What I have said time and again – I will reiterate – many do not like my
> methods – nor do they like my solutions – but – what I am not seeing is
> other proposals that are concrete and that are not vague and in the air. I
> am not seeing people argue with researched facts – I am not seeing people
> correlate what they say to the law and the bylaws. To quote a verse in the
> bible – always be ready to offer a defence of your faith. Part of offering
> a defence is an understanding and a researching of the issues - it is not
> blind – it does not argue with vague statements – facts – the law – the
> bylaws – that is the basis.
>
>
>
> Will I continue to do what I believe is in the best interests of an
> industry that I have given 23 years of my life to so far? Yes. If others
> have solutions to the maladministration – bring them. If people don’t like
> what the bylaws say – stop whining – change them – if people don’t like the
> management – change it – if people don’t like the policies – advocate for
> why based on hard data and fact.
>
>
>
> For me – I stand for what I believe in – and I will continue to do so –
> and I do not believe that forcing someone to look in the mirror to see the
> organisation falling apart is scorched earth – it is reality. Remember –
> no one told the Emperor he had no clothes…. How did that turn out?
>
>
>
> Andrew
>
>
>
> *From:* Ali Hussein [mailto:ali at hussein.me.ke]
> *Sent:* 20 June 2018 18:08
> *To:* Andrew Alston <Andrew.Alston at liquidtelecom.com>
> *Cc:* Janvier NGNOULAYE <jnoulaye at gmail.com>; General Discussions of
> AFRINIC <community-discuss at afrinic.net>; AFRINIC Board of Directors' List
> <board at afrinic.net>
> *Subject:* Re: [Community-Discuss] Cotonou Meeting
>
>
>
> Andrew
>
>
>
> As I recall your rabid objection to everything Afrinic started immediately
> you lost the elections as Board Member. Correct me if I’m wrong. If things
> are so dire as to call for the demise of the organization then what were
> you doing during the time you were a board member?
>
>
>
> You missed the point as to why I wanted to remind EVERYONE ‘the reason for
> being’ of Afrinic. Your ‘Scorched Earth Policy’ against the organization is
> for no one’s benefit. Not even for you or your organization that is
> building a continent wide Network.
>
>
>
> Let us be mature on how we engage. We agree that things are not right at
> Afrinic. What you and I disagree on is the process of how to correct it. We
> must do it with maturity, decorum and respect of each other. All of which
> is sorely lacking at the moment.
>
>
>
> *Ali Hussein*
>
> *Principal*
>
> *AHK & Associates*
>
> +254 0713 601113
>
>
>
> Twitter: @AliHKassim
>
> Skype: abu-jomo
>
> LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim
>
>
>
> "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a
> habit." ~ Aristotle
>
>
>
>
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>
> On 20 Jun 2018, at 9:25 AM, Andrew Alston <Andrew.Alston at liquidtelecom.com>
> wrote:
>
> Ok Ali,
>
>
>
> Let me attempt this – and you and I, it’s rare that we disagree with each
> other, and you know that I have immense respect for you, but in this case,
> disagree with you I must.
>
>
>
> Firstly – the micro-management of AFRINIC becomes necessary when AFRINIC
> refuses point blank to follow its own rules of engagement as defined by the
> bylaws. Secondly – to turn a blind eye to the “small” issues is to let the
> organisation end up back where it was in 2014, teetering on the brink of
> total financial collapse, with no reserve, making sustained losses that
> could have ended the company.
>
> Thirdly - Let us examine the core mission of AFRINIC and then let us score
> that:
>
>
>
> 1. "Be the leading force in growing the internet for Africa's
> sustainable development"
>
> That simply isn’t happening – no R&D that is visible to the community or
> the members to speak of, a IRDB that myself, and others on this list, have
> consistently says has serious problems and needs rectification – with no
> indication of how this is going to be – potentially putting the continent
> at risk if RIPE proceeds with certain actions inside its own DB working
> group – A situation where members that do ALL their business on this
> continent asking why, after a year of attempting to get legitimate space
> they have none, yet in February 2018 an allocation is made that, within 2
> months is being offered sale – and AFRINIC’s only response to the multitude
> of queries is “we’re investigating…” with no time frames given. The denial
> of an application by one particular major content player that wanted to
> come onto this continent with a request that they provide proof of over 2
> million domains they handle… Oh, and a statement by yet another major
> content player that AFRINIC and the situation it is in is “unsettling for
> business on the continent” – no – AFRINIC is not driving sustained
> development – and if you believe otherwise – please – tell me how they are
>
>
>
> 1. Community driven as a core value
>
> This community asked for and was denied a vote of no confidence by the
> board, and using technicalities to do so. This community has asked AFRINIC
> to explain the benefit members get out of the insane amount of travel
> (which btw, averages more than 6 trips per employee per year in 2017), and
> never had a proper answer. This community has asked AFRINIC to explain how
> it plans to fix the **extremely** serious legal predicament it finds
> itself in, with the fact that it cannot get quorum to hold another AGMM and
> it cannot, by its own bylaws, elect directors to get that quorum – and have
> been ignored. So please – tell me how we meet this objective
>
>
>
> 1. Operational excellence? Really – If you really need me to
> elaborate on this – let me know – I’ll happily paste the pages and pages of
> what members who are attempting to get space out of AFRINIC for very
> legitimate business needs are saying on lists all over the continent.
>
>
>
> 1. Passion? Where is this passion – What I see is that the members
> who are passionate about this organization and the good of the continent
> and ensuring that the organization is financially sustainable and well run
> by good corporate governance are told to shut up – go away – and not make
> waves – and not to sweat the small things. We are closer to asking for
> apathy than we are for passion
>
>
>
> 1. Innovation & Creativity – please Ali – tell me where this is – what
> innovation has come from AFRINIC? Where is this innovation – because if
> it’s there – I do not see it – and if I’m wrong – then I need to be shown
> the error I am making.
>
>
>
> So – by my count so far – in my view – we are failing ENTIRELY on the
> vision – and 4 core values you listed. Now let’s move on to the next
> points:
>
>
>
> 1. People management – Please – just go back and look at the last few
> months – I need not say anything more on this point
> 2. Plans & Processes? When I asked on this list if AFRINIC would
> adhere to the Mauritian code of corporate governance – I was told that it
> was “optional” for companies like AFRINIC (which is technically true).
> When I have asked AFRINIC if they are willing to publish the minutes of the
> sub-board committees – they have openly refused. The strategic plan as it
> stands – a strategic plan is a living document – look at when that document
> that was sent was last revised or updated. Let’s do a tangible analysis
> not just on the plans – but on the delivery against those plans – and see
> where we are – I don’t think you’d like the results of such an analysis.
> 3. Budget Discipline and associated items – This is an interesting one
> – except – there is a problem – if your revenue is increasing at 10.7% and
> you are budgeting for opex increases in categories in excess of 20% and are
> budgeting against projected growth figures – you have an issue. When you
> stand and tell the members – we wish to raise the fees by an effective 5% -
> while already making surplus – and while you are not explaining the benefit
> to those putting in money of how you are spending your money – no budget in
> the world covers for this. A budget must be adhered to – but the members
> of a non-profit organization should also have some say in how that money is
> spent – particularly when they start to question if the money is being
> spent serving the company’s primary objective. Myself and others – we are
> certainly questioning if that is the case.
> 4. Community confidence / trust – well – again – I don’t even need to
> comment on this – the ballot box in Dakar spoke for itself
> 5. Continuous community engagement and support? This needs to happen
> – I 100% agree with you – however, it needs to be defined what it means –
> it does not mean giving away money to organisations that have NO
> accountability and that refuse to be audited for 10 years as an example.
> It does not mean making the community wait months for answers to questions
> which directly affect this organization. It does mean sticking to the
> clauses as defined in article 3 of the bylaws – something AFRINIC has
> singularly failed to do – in particular in terms of clause 3.4.vii of the
> bylaws. Part of continuous community engagement is defined so well in
> 3.4.vii – that states that the board should disseminate among its members
> information on _*ALL*_ matters affecting the Company and its members.
> And as many of my comments above this will show – that – has not happened
> and is not happening.
> 6. Effective operational processes and an agile organizational
> structure – Well, on this, I can only comment on what I see from outside –
> and I would argue that if this existed – the comments appearing on other
> lists around this continent about the constant struggle to get anything out
> of AFRINIC would not be there. I would argue that if this existed – the
> incidents that lead to a full blown investigation followed by a refusal to
> publish the actual report – would not have come to fruition.
>
>
>
> In my book – and for many many others that I speak to on a daily basis –
> AfriNIC fails on every single one of the above points.
>
>
>
> So yes – I openly called AFRINIC an abject failure as it stands today –
> and I did so publicly – because – by any objective evaluation of the above
> points – we have failed in a core mission – we have failed in our core
> values – and we have failed on the critical success factors. We have
> plowed millions into training across the continent – and while I realize
> that objectively measuring the success of training is pretty difficult –
> considering how much of that training has been focused on IPv6 deployment –
> and considering the V6 deployment rates across the continent – we have
> failed there as well. (Please note – I do not blame the trainers here, I
> would say it’s probably more the fault of those who do not apply that
> training, but the reality remains – if you are pouring money into something
> with no tangible results, you are failing – badly)
>
>
>
> So Ali – when you say do not focus on the small issues – >From 2005 when I
> actively started engaging with AFRINIC – I have seen a consistent refusal
> to focus on the macro issues – a consistent refusal to focus on the micro
> issues – and a consistent attempt to hide behind technicalities and every
> other thing in the book to avoid accountability and responsibility. So
> right now, EVERY issue is in focus – and I believe that the only way any
> organization can truly thrive, is to be willing to answer the questions and
> to take a long hard look at themselves, either through the questions their
> members ask or through external review – and be willing to face the hard
> realities when they are going so terribly wrong.
>
>
>
> Again – I stand by my statement – that by any objective measure right now
> – AfriNIC has failed – and while it has the ability to turn itself around –
> the path it is on right now – celebrating the failures rather than staying
> home and fixing the significant problems – is no way to do that. The path
> it is on right now – leads to annihilation.
>
>
>
> Andrew
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* Ali Hussein [mailto:ali at hussein.me.ke <ali at hussein.me.ke>]
> *Sent:* 20 June 2018 08:03
> *To:* Janvier NGNOULAYE <jnoulaye at gmail.com>
> *Cc:* Andrew Alston <Andrew.Alston at liquidtelecom.com>; General
> Discussions of AFRINIC <community-discuss at afrinic.net>; AFRINIC Board of
> Directors' List <board at afrinic.net>
> *Subject:* Re: [Community-Discuss] Cotonou Meeting
>
>
>
> Hi all
>
>
>
> Been following these conversations for the last few days with interest and
> dismay. We have become fractioned that we query and deem unnecessary such
> important events. We probably need to go back to the core reason Afrinic
> was created. let me recount our Vision and Mission:-
>
>
>
> V
>
> ISION
>
>
>
> "Be the leading force in growing the internet for Africa's sustainable
> development"
>
>
>
>
>
> MISSION
>
>
>
> "To serve the African Community by providing professional and efficient
> management of Internet number technology usage and development, and
> promoting Internet self-governance."
>
>
>
> ***CORE VALUES***
>
> - Community driven
> - Operational excellence
> - Passion
> - Innovation & Creativity
>
>
>
> - *CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS*
>
>
> -
>
> People management (right people, competent, mindset, engaged, clear
> objectives, committed, etc)
>
> - Technical Infrastructure's reliability and resilience
> - Plans & Processes
> - Funding:
>
>
> - Financial Sustainability
> - Infrastructure and space
> - Budget discipline
>
>
> - Community Trust/Confidence
> - Continuous community engagement and support
> - Effective Operational Processes and Agile Organisational structure
>
>
>
> **Instead of being so pedantic and questioning every little thing the
> organization is doing I say let's go back to these core issues above. And
> let's ask ourselves:-
>
>
>
> Despite all the challenges we are currently facing what have we achieved?
> And when answering this let's not just speak about the paying members.
> Afrinic is much more than paying members! Afrinic is about the very
> Internet Ecosystem in the continent. Let us be circumspect lest we kill
> the baby with the bath water.
>
>
>
> Regards
>
>
>
> *Ali Hussein*
>
> *Principal*
>
> *AHK & Associates*
>
>
>
> Tel: +254 713 601113
>
> Twitter: @AliHKassim
>
> Skype: abu-jomo
>
> LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim
>
>
>
> 13th Floor , Delta Towers, Oracle Wing,
>
> Chiromo Road, Westlands,
>
> Nairobi, Kenya.
>
>
> Any information of a personal nature expressed in this email are purely
> mine and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the
> organizations that I work with.
>
>
>
> On Wed, Jun 20, 2018 at 1:50 AM, Janvier NGNOULAYE <jnoulaye at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> Dear Andrew,
>
> I wonder about your motives that seem inappropriate to me this last couple
> of months, in such that, with all respect due to you, I wanted to tell you
> to stop paying your $50k annual fee, and go rent your resources to another
> RIR. Afrinic will not died.
>
> Please tell here if your statements here and questions engage yourself or
> your company? Because it is inacceptable that a single member micromanages
> Afrinic, this is a lack of respect to the Afrinic body.
>
> I'm really shocked and got boring with your mails. The CEO should have
> never replied to it. I am not the one who have to ask you to wait for the
> financial annual report or the auditor's report at the AGMM to ask these
> multiple questions.
>
> I think you're crossed over the line at this point, do you forget the
> principle that the CEO reports to the Board, and that the Board reports to
> members at an AGMM? Where do you come from with the questions on the
> figures in the mid-year budget and particulary on sponsoring of the Cotonou
> event?
>
> I also see that you're giving yourself too much liberty, to the point of
> asking ICANN if it is sponsoring the Cotonou event, this is again a lack of
> respect to the ICANN body.
>
> For the sake of the African Internet community, for the sake of the
> Afrinic members, and this is my recommandation to the Board: I am
> requesting the Board to put you under discipline because of these
> attitudes that tarnish the image of Afrinic and its members.
>
>
>
> Warm regards,
>
> Janvier NGNOULAYE
>
> Afrinic Member
>
> Former Afrinic Board member
>
> Yaounde - Cameroon
>
>
>
>
>
> Le mar. 19 juin 2018 à 22:09, Andrew Alston <Andrew.Alston at liquidtelecom.
> com> a écrit :
>
> Just wanted to add – did you think I would be embarrassed by you leaking
> that? Or attempt to deny it?
>
>
>
> Dude – come on – get real – MANY people on that list that are on that
> group – if I was ashamed of that post – well – I wouldn’t have posted it
> where half this list could already see it – as plain as day.
>
>
>
> I do find it very interesting that you choose to take stuff off a group
> that has strict rules about external posts – and post it here for your own
> purposes.
>
>
>
> ☺ And I can guess who gave it to you – because its not hard to correlate
> members of this list to members of that group – but **shrug** who cares –
> its as good as a public post – I don’t say things that I won’t stand by – I
> stand by that one
>
>
>
> Andrew
>
>
>
> *From: *William Ametozion <wametozion at gmail.com>
> *Date: *Tuesday, 19 June 2018 at 23:19
> *To: *Andrew Alston <Andrew.Alston at liquidtelecom.com>
> *Cc: *Alan Barrett <alan.barrett at afrinic.net>, "
> community-discuss at afrinic.net" <community-discuss at afrinic.net>, AFRINIC
> Board of Directors' List <board at afrinic.net>
> *Subject: *Re: [Community-Discuss] Cotonou Meeting
>
>
>
> Dear Community,
>
>
>
> I came across a screenshot of a post (attached) by a member of AFRINIC
> Community on ICANN Facebook page and would like to share with you.
>
>
>
> Yes we may not have attained all our goals but the truth must be told that
> we have made progress .
>
>
>
> No matter how bitter one is, history of Internet in Africa cannot be
> changed based on someone’s whims and caprices. Indeed pioneers deserve
> commendation and not unbridled hatred as shown. Africa deserves
> encouragement rather than this reckless attempt to destroy AFRINIC.
>
>
>
> I cannot wait to be in Cotonou. Let us all including friends of Africa
> join in the Celebration of IG 1998 - 2018 on July 6, 2018.
>
>
>
> Thank you.
>
>
>
> On 19 June 2018 at 13:21, Andrew Alston <Andrew.Alston at liquidtelecom.com>
> wrote:
>
> Alan,
>
>
>
> Does this include the cocktail sponsorship – if it does – can we calculate
> as follows based on previous trips to work out the approximate cost of
> attendance:
>
>
>
> Average cost per person in flights (based on previous financials) -
> $2049.50
>
> Sponsorship $3000
>
> Accommodation while there since it’s a 2 day event - $500 odd dollars per
> person (conservatively)
>
> 5 total people
>
>
>
> Cost to the membership for this – roughly $16k?
>
>
>
> I just wanna be sure I have the numbers straight here
>
>
>
> Andrew
>
>
>
> *From:* Alan Barrett [mailto:alan.barrett at afrinic.net]
> *Sent:* 19 June 2018 16:15
> *To:* community-discuss at afrinic.net
> *Cc:* AFRINIC Board of Directors' List <board at afrinic.net>
> *Subject:* Re: [Community-Discuss] Cotonou Meeting
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > On 15 Jun 2018, at 16:50, Andrew Alston <Andrew.Alston at liquidtelecom.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > So AfriNIC Board / Management – can you please disclose EXACTLY what was
> sponsored for this event – how much – who is going – and what are the
> members paying towards an event that is not even listed on your events
> calendar? I’d like to know how much of our money is being squandered.
>
> AFRINIC is not organising the event in Cotonou on 6 July 2018, but was
> invited to participate. AFRINIC is contributing $3000 in sponsorship, and
> will cover the costs for attendance by the CEO, one or two other staff, and
> the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board.
>
> Regards,
>
> Alan Barrett
> CEO, AFRINIC
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
>
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>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
>
>
>
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