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[AfriNIC-rpd] decline - Re: Appointment of Interim Co-Chairs on the PDWG
Dr Paulos Nyirenda
paulos at sdnp.org.mw
Fri Nov 26 22:07:07 UTC 2010
Dr. Viv Padayatchy,
AFRINIC Board Chair,
Let me start by congratulating Mr. S. Moonesamy and Mr Alan Barrett for making it to
the PDP-WG and then I give a brief explanation on my decision to decline the same.
It should be well known by now that I find the process and actions followed by the
AfriNIC Board on the PDP policy AFPUB-2010-GEN-005 to be irregular and against the
principles that are normally attributed to AfriNIC - see my e-mail in reply to Alan
Barret of 23 Nov 2010 - copied here below. These principles include openness,
transparency and fairness and these are also clearly espoused in the PDP, see Section 3
of http://www.afrinic.net/docs/policies/AFPUB-2010-GEN-005.htm, just approved.
3.3 Fairness: I have no doubt that the Board realises that it failed to follow the
principle of fairness in Section 3.3 which includes that "Actions are taken within a
reasonable period of time". Having failed to follow this principle by not allowing
reasonable time for proper elections for the PDP-WG to take place, among other
requirements, the Board found itself in a fix and went on a patch-up path.
4. PDP-Chairs: The Policy says in section 4 that: ... "The Working Group Chairs will be
chosen by the AfriNIC community during the Public Policy Meeting and they will serve
staggered two-year terms." ... Here the Board found patch-up was for the Board to
nominate in a TOP-DOWN approach clearly against the principles and the approved policy.
I do not know the full powers of the Board but clearly these are "strong-man-tactics"
that do not go down well with the principles.
6. Conflicts: The process followed by the Board goes against most of the issues that the
just approved PDP is trying to address - e.g. Section 6 on conflicts. Now that the
PDP-WG has been appointed by the Board, it does not look feasible that the Board would
remain objective, fair, open or even transparent in resolving such a conflict as
outlined in Section 6 of the PDP. As we saw at Afrinic-13 policy discussion, conflicts
are not far fetched.
There are other areas of the PDP that suffer because of the current Board initiated
process which I could write about latter.
As I explained when we met during one of the tea breaks at AFRINIC-13, the Board had
several options on how to proceed but it seems that the Board chose the option that goes
against AfriNIC known principles, against PDP policy itself that the Board approved and
hence seriously compromised the basic standing and legitimacy of the resulting PDP-WG.
I would have found it difficult to work with openness, fairness and transparency in such
a compromised PDP-WG and hence found it necessary to decline the nomination.
I value the mandate, actions and contributions that the PDP-WG makes to AfriNIC. I will,
therefore, be happy to further participate when AfriNIC returns to the regular PDP
process and holds open, fair, transparent and legitimate elections for the PDP-WG.
Regards,
Dr Paulos B Nyirenda
NIC.MW & .mw ccTLD
http://www.registrar.mw
On 26 Nov 2010 at 15:26, Viv Padayatchy wrote:
> Dear all
>
> Please refer to the board communiqué issued on the RPD on the 24th November
> 2010 (see below).
>
> At the opening of the Policy Discussion session on the 24th Nov the AfriNIC
> Board proposed that Subramanian Moonesamy and Dr. Paulos Nyirenda should be
> the new interim co-chairs for the PD Working Group or PDWG (formerly known
> as PDP-MG).
>
> Mr. S. Moonesamy accepted the appointment and Dr. Paulos Nyirenda declined.
> S. Moonesamy then nominated Alan Barrett as the second co-chair. Alan
> Barrett accepted, subject to the condition that the appointment be approved
> by the community. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of AfriNIC
> determined that it was the consensus of
> the AfriNIC community present during that meeting that S. Moonesamy and Alan
> Barrett should act as interim co-chairs for a 6-month period or until the
> AfriNIC-14 meeting, whichever is the earliest.
>
> I would like to thank Mr. S. Moonesamy and Alan Barrett for their
> contribution and welcome them as Interim Co-Chairs of the PDWG.
>
> Dr. Viv Padayatchy
> Chairman
> Afrinic
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rpd-bounces at afrinic.net [mailto:rpd-bounces at afrinic.net] On Behalf Of
> Viv Padayatchy
> Sent: 24 November 2010 09:35
> To: 'AfriNIC Resource Policy Discussion List'
> Subject: [AfriNIC-rpd] Communiqué from the Board of Afrinic
>
> Communiqué from the Board of Afrinic
> ====================================
>
> 1. The board has taken note of the ongoing discussion on the RPD mailing
> list related to the implementation of AFPUB-2010-GEN-005. The Board would
> like to clarify that there is no reason at this point not to start
> implementing the policy.
>
> 2. However, the board understands that there is not enough time to organize
> a fair election process at this meeting (afrinic 13). Therefore the Board
> hereby suggests that the current PDP-MG be wound-up at the beginning of the
> Afrinic-13 Policy Discussion and appoint an Interim Co-chairs for a period
> of 6 months or until Afrinic-14, whichever is earlier, in order to allow
> proper election to take place.
>
> 3. The board is also proposing that two members of the current PDP-MG,
> Subramania Moonesamy and Dr. Paulos Nyirenda be co-opted in view of their
> current experience in order to allow a smooth transition and Policy
> Development Process.
>
> Dr. Viv Padayatchy
> Chairman
> Afrinic
>
>
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------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: "Dr Paulos Nyirenda" <paulos at sdnp.org.mw>
To: Alan Barrett <apb at cequrux.com>,
AfriNIC Resource Policy Discussion List <rpd at afrinic.net>
Subject: Re: [AfriNIC-rpd] Re: PDP transition to AFPUB-2010-GEN-005
Date sent: Tue, 23 Nov 2010 10:44:20 +0200
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Alan,
Clearly even from your own post it seems that you are recommending actions that are, as
you have already put it, either (a) "problematic" or (b) almost compl(y)ies with the
policy.
At this level of AfriNIC maturity we clearly do not have to live with either of these.
The best way forward seems to be to hold elections in an open and transparent process to
put in place a credible PDP-MG once the term of the current PDP-MG expires, which
incidentally is at AfriNIC-13.
Rushing to do something seems not to be a very good thing at this level of AfriNIC
maturity.
Regards,
Paulos
==============================
Dr Paulos Nyirenda
NIC.MW & .mw ccTLD
Malawi SDNP Coodinator
On Tue, 23 Nov 2010 09:48:23 +0200, Alan Barrett wrote
> On Sun, 14 Nov 2010, McTim wrote:
> > Unfortunately, ratification of this proposal occurred less than 2
> > weeks before a PPM.
> >
> > Generally, elections of this type take a minimum of 35 days to
> > organise, as can be seen here:
> >
> > http://www.afrinic.net/elections/process/ep_pdpmg.htm
> >
> > The feedback I am getting from the rest of the NomCom is that a
> > legitimate election
> > can't be organised in the next week.
> >
> > Since the policy only takes effect at AfriNIC-13, then the first
> > possible opportunity
> > to hold an election will be AfriNIC-14
>
> It seems to me that the policy has been approved by the community, and
> ratified by the Board, and so it should be implemented. The policy
> itself talks about its own implementation date, and that date is part of
> what was approved and ratified, and what must be implemented.
>
> I understand that the NomCom doesn't want to hold an election on
> such short notice, but I think that we must do something. I see
> several options, none of which is very good. Here are some of the
> options:
>
> A) Fully implement the new process right now, including holding
> elections at very short notice for one co-chair to serve a two-year
> term and for another co-chair to serve one-year term.
>
> + fully complies with the policy as written and approved;
> - elections organised at such short notice are problematic.
>
> B) Implement the new process right now in all respects except the
> election of the co-chairs. Instead of electing co-chairs for
> one-year and two-year terms, elect two interim co-chairs for
> 6-month terms. Hold another election at the AfriNIC-14 meeting in
> 2011, for one co-chair to serve a two-year term and for another
> co-chair to serve one-year term.
>
> + almost complies with the policy as written and approved;
> + enough time to organise a fair election in 2011.
> - we also have an interim election organised at short notice,
> but the problem is mitigated by the short 6-month terms.
>
> C) Let the old process continue for another 6 months, and implement
> the new process with effect from the AfriNIC-14 meeting in 2011.
>
> + enough time to organise a fair election in 2011;
> - does not comply with the policy as written and approved.
>
> I favour option A or B.
>
> --apb (Alan Barrett)
> _______________________________________________
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> rpd at afrinic.net
> https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/rpd
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