Hi Andrew, I believe a lot can be learned from statistics and trend. The end results might be that there are no patterns, trend and no "factions" as a conclusion.
But anyone who knows me knows I love digging in archives, there is so much things to learn from past documents and historical conversations archived forever. So from a personal point of view, count me in. I really can only justify participating in my free time, but I surely can contribute a few hours here and there. PM me the details for any further info on this. Cheers, David Hilario On 14 July 2017 at 12:08, Andrew Alston <[email protected]> wrote: > This is a personal project, that's others may or may not choose to > contribute to. It is my belief that understanding the factionalism is key > to solving it - and I feel this is beneficial, so I shall proceed. > > I hope to have others join with me in the effort, but barring that I will > still proceed in a solo effort, it will just take longer > > Andrew > > Get Outlook for iOS > ________________________________ > From: Badru Ntege <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, July 14, 2017 11:25:41 AM > To: Andrew Alston > Cc: Owen DeLong; [email protected] > > Subject: Re: [Community-Discuss] Questions about transparency > > So I'm curious how this will contribute to the achievement of AfriNICs > mission statement. Or even the internet community in general. > > I would rather prefer to see your energys directed in an additive activity > > Sent from my iPhone > > On 14 Jul 2017, at 10:22, Andrew Alston <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Having read all of this, > > > > I would like to start a bit of a research project in my spare (albeit > limited) time – so here is what I plan to do. > > > > I want to analyse every single email across the various lists going back 6 > years – in an attempt to identify the factions that exists (as has been > stated at all 3 of the last 3 meetings, there is a definite sense of > factionalism within the AfriNIC community, and that observation has been > made at the microphone by multiple people) > > Then, let us identify > > > > When these factions arose and why > Who are the people who are leading these factions > > > > Then – once that information has been gathered in as objective fashion as > possible, through looking at the emails and the responses, the > substantiation behind those responses, looking at the videos of the PDP > meeting and the questions at the microphone and the responses to follow-ups > etc, we can then look at potentially finding a way to resolve the divides, > potentially even by putting the leaders of said factions in the same room > and getting them to work out the issues, so that we can get back to a point > where we are discussing based on policy, based on content, and based on > issues that are substantive, rather than from a geographic, linguistic or > other perspective. > > > > Now – such a complete research project if it is to be done properly, is > immensely time consuming due to the volume of material to go through, and > so, I’d like to invite volunteers who would like to assist in this project. > This also helps to mitigate the risk that the report that comes out of this > will be in any way biased, since those working on it are volunteers from > across the continent. > > > > Please email me off list if you’d be willing to assist. > > > > Thanks > > > > Andrew > > > > > > From: Badru Ntege [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: 14 July 2017 10:15 > To: Owen DeLong <[email protected]> > Cc: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Community-Discuss] Questions about transparency > > > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > > On 13 Jul 2017, at 08:10, Owen DeLong <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > However, I am certain you are unlikely to share my perspective as you are > almost certainly allied with this group of ill-behaved malcontents. > > > > ??? > > I'm allied with the Afrinic community whichever name one might choose to > give the community and membership works well with me. > > > > > > Owen > > > > On Jun 5, 2017, at 19:13 , Badru Ntege <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Ali > > > > Thanks for highlighting the issues bellow. Some board members have claimed > championing transparency but I think we all need to have the same definition > of the word. > > > > The issue of publishing the minutes was a community mandate to the board not > a board initiative. I also like the issue on declaring interest. > > > > However the community is not blind and eventually the truth comes out as we > saw in Nairobi where the community spoke resoundingly in both ASO and board > elections. > > > > Regards > > > Sent from my iPhone > > > On 5 Jun 2017, at 12:39, Ali Hussein <[email protected]> wrote: > > Mark and all > > > > Let's raise the bar on transparency and proper reporting is super critical. > > > > For example a quick perusal of the Afrinic Website tells me that:- > > > > 1. The last minutes posted were in February this year. I see there was > another Board meeting in April which has no minutes posted yet. Can we try > and ensure that board minutes are available for circulation online within 2 > weeks of the meeting being held? > > > > 2. It is common best practice for Board members to declare their interests > (if any) before any board meeting and these to be duly recorded in the > minutes. This will go a long way in enhancing the transparency conversation. > > > > 3. I also note that in the February Board minutes that agenda Item No. 5 on > Committees there are no committee reports for Audit and Remuneration. Also > no other board committee reports have been presented. > > Question:- why are there no reports on the Audit and Remuneration reports > committees? Is this an oversight or were they simply not ready? Can the > Board consider making the other committee reports available to the > community? > > > > 4. It is now also standard for organizations to publish a Sustainability > Report. Most public for profit companies in Kenya now publish a > sustainability report. This is even more critical in an Organisation like > Afrinic. To give us a sample of what this may look like please see > Safaricom's 2016 Sustainability Report below:- > > > > https://www.safaricom.co.ke/images/Downloads/Resources_Downloads/sustainabilityreport_2016.pdf > > > > Ali Hussein > > Principal > > Hussein & 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 5 Jun 2017, at 11:37 AM, Mark Elkins <[email protected]> wrote: > > I agree with you Ali. When Andrew first campaigned to be a Board member, one > of his goals was increased transparency. I believe that he has helped, with > the rest of the Board, achieve this. Transparency though is an ongoing > process and its a pity that Andrew was not re-elected to continue assisting > in that process. > > Regarding Andrews points: > > a) Travel in Africa is not cheap. Rather than just a single line for travel, > I'd like to see it a bit more broken up though, categorised something like; > i) Training sessions 10, people 20, cost $10,000 > ii) Meetings 2, people 40, cost $20,000 > iii) Board Travel 8, trips 32, cost $20,000 > > (or something like that) > > b - d) Again, I'd like to see a bit more break down, especially in the case > of unaudited organisations. On d), the ASO/NRO fees are proportionally paid > by RIRs. AfriNIC does pay the lowest proportion. > > e) I think the moratorium on Business class travel should be maintained, but > have the option to upgrade their flights at their expense. When flying for > AfriNIC, I was given a Priority Pass card. That privilege should stay to > give people access to lounges. I'm happy the CEO flies business (at his > discretion). If it was a long flight (ARIN, USA) and overnight and that > Board member is the only AfriNIC representative and was presenting the > "AfriNIC" slides, let them fly business. I did that once (but travelled > economy). > > > > On 05/06/2017 08:21, Ali Hussein wrote: > > Andrew > > > > You raise pertinent and important issues. > > > > The rule of thumb for any public organization is that Transparency trumps > (no pun intended) everything else. > > > > If I were asked and was a member of the Board, I'd advocate for FULL > disclosure on financial and operational matters. How money was spent, how > much, what was the impact, who received it etc. That in my humble opinion is > the best policy. Let us err on the side of too much information as opposed > to too little information. > > Ali Hussein > > Principal > > Hussein & 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 5 Jun 2017, at 8:42 AM, Andrew Alston <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Hi All, > > > > So – I want to open a bit of a discussion about transparency, specifically, > financial transparency. > > > > In order to get this started – let me ask a few questions of all of you – > > > > While we talk about transparency and how it is required – can we analyze for > a moment as to the level of transparency we want. So, to kick this > discussion off, let me start by asking some basic questions that we can use > as the starting point for this discussion. > > > > a.) How much detail should the board and AfriNIC be supplying us as > regards how the money we pay towards IP resources is spent. Is it > sufficient to show an aggregated line item that refers to travel expenses > for example, or do we want to see some kind of a breakdown on what that > money is being spent on (considering that travel makes up 10% of the total > revenue) > > b.) How much detail should the board and AfriNIC be supplying us as > members as regards other large scale line items – specifically – we spend > hundreds of thousands each year on meeting expenses – should we be asking > for a breakdown on what those meeting expenses are – or are we happy with > the organization spending that kind of money under a single large line item. > > c.) When AfriNIC is giving money to other organizations for sponsorship > – what level of transparency and accountability should be required from > those organizations. Is it acceptable that AFRINIC makes a decision to give > money to organizations that have no formal incorporation, no audited > financial statements and no board of their own, or should AFRINIC be > scrutinizing those that they give money to far more closely, and asking for > the same level of transparency from those that they give money to that we > require from them. > > d.) When AFRINIC is funding organizations such as the ASO/NRO – how much > transparency should be supplied back to the members about how that money is > being spent and what that funding is actually being used for. > > e.) When AFRINIC is funding board travel to meetings around the world – > should board members be able to attend these conferences without ever > supplying reports about what was accomplished at said meetings and what the > purpose of the expenditure was, or are we prepared to accept that these > meetings must be useful without further questions. > > > > Remember, every cent spent by AfriNIC can have an impact on our fees, and > impacts the bottom line of the company. Over the last 3 years, we have come > a long way to stabilizing the company and its financial position, but in > order to maintain that, we probably need to discuss openly as a community > about the level of transparency we want into those finances and then once we > as a community come to consensus, we can request the board supply the > transparency we agree is necessary. But let us have an open and cordial > discussion so that we get to the right point. > > > > Thanks > > > > Andrew > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Community-Discuss mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/community-discuss > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Community-Discuss mailing list > > [email protected] > > https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/community-discuss > > > > -- > > Mark James ELKINS - Posix Systems - (South) Africa > > [email protected] Tel: +27.128070590 Cell: +27.826010496 > > For fast, reliable, low cost Internet in ZA: https://ftth.posix.co.za > > _______________________________________________ > Community-Discuss mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/community-discuss > > _______________________________________________ > Community-Discuss mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/community-discuss > > _______________________________________________ > Community-Discuss mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/community-discuss > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Community-Discuss mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/community-discuss > _______________________________________________ Community-Discuss mailing list [email protected] https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/community-discuss
