[rpd] Travel funding for AfriNIC meetings

[Mike Silber]

Let me start off by indicating again that I do not believe this is an appropriate topic for the rpd list - unless and until someone proposes a policy regarding funding (which IMO will be out of bounds of the PDP). This is a community or members list issue.

If I can summarise:

- many people get funding to attend meetings, some from their employers, some from AfriNIC (excluding employees) and some from various funding institutions;
- when travel costs are paid by an employer, we accept that the attendee will consider the impact on the employer before engaging in discussions (even if the views are their own). AfriNIC funded attendees (other than employees) are expected to follow their own views - whether we agree with them or not. We are unsure whether attendees sponsored by an opaque funding institution may have been indoctrinated to follow a particular view.

The conclusion drawn by some is that attendees sponsored by an opaque funding institution have been indoctrinated and this somehow corrupts the policy development process.

Outside of that there has been mudslinging against various institutions and various people, indicating yet again that our community is divided.

In my view, the issue is not funding, or stacking the room or indoctrination or training - it is about TRUST. In a community where few trust each other, then the only option to improve trust is transparency. 

Transparency will allow us to leap to conclusions based on affiliation - without considering the argue. However, that seems to be the preferred mode of operation in this community, so who am I to judge.

In my view transparency can be achieved in two ways: (i) the publication of a statement of interest, setting out organisational affiliations, such as employer or clients of a consultant (and confirming that the person is a real human and not a sock puppet) *before* participating in the rpd list; and (ii) when at a meeting, participants must introduce themselves and indicate their organisational affiliation *as well as anyone funding their travel* if not their organisation. For example - my name is John, I work at XYZ ISP and I am an AfriNIC funded fellow.

I think those two simple approaches are basic etiquette and can be included in the Code of Conduct. I also think AfriNIC can create a “statement of interest” database with minimal effort (and no personal identifying information).

If this is followed, aside for possible reporting of violations of the Code of Conduct, we can remove this inane and pointless discussion from the rpd list.

Mike
 
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