Preamble: Some observations on the proposed ICANN budget, largely based on the need to have an appropriate relationship of size to responsibility. If ICANN's mandate is 'to promote the global public interest in the operational stability of the Internet by....' I see no function budgeted that is capable of assuring the complex monitoring, checking and administrative process this entails, let alone the necessary outreach derisorily funded by contribution. What are the parameters of operational stability? How are they measured? ICANN is still relying on the generous cooperativism of the old academic network to do its work and it should not allow this to happen. The budget needs to include the costs of : 1. Performance parameters whereby management can be judged as to whether it has achieved its task or not. 2. Appropriate staff and resources for the liaison and technical personnel required to deal with the global nature of its business. Parallel organisations have much greater flexibility. 3. A substantial contribution to the SO's where they are accomplishing useful work in maintaining the ICANN mandate. 4. Appropriate budget for the maintenance and expansion of key elements in the systems which contribute to ICANN's mandate success. 5. Inexpensive but broad electronic outreach Currently, the slant of ICANN's budget appears poised negatively, accumulating surpluses for the day when the contributing organisations no longer wish to do so. Surplus or not, if ICANN is not seen to be proactively and creatively assuming its role, then it will wither, as its excessively US-centric makeup already displays as a retreat from its international obligations. -- Mark Measday __________________________________________________________________________ Josmarian SA (Switzerland) Josmarian (UK) Ltd http://www.josmarian.ch [EMAIL PROTECTED] UK tel/fax: 0044.1273.47.48.94 UK mobile: 0044.370.947.420 French tel/fax: 0033.450.20.94.92 'Tragedy inheres in all choice' : Isaiah Berlin __________________________________________________________________________
