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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On Monday 02 December 2013 07:28 PM,
Jeremy Malcolm wrote:<br>
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On 2 Dec 2013, at 9:46 pm, <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:genekimmelman@gmail.com">genekimmelman@gmail.com</a>
wrote:<br>
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<div>To be more specific, maybe those with lingering concerns
need to decide whether they want to participate on the best
bits platform or not. You decide. If you think you can make
it work better, please offer ideas like Anriette, Michael
and others have done. I believe we decided in Bali on an
approach and I endorse Anriette's path toward formalizing
this. And I suggest we wrap up this conversation for now and
move on to substance. Otherwise we delegitimze the broad
support people worked towards over two days in Bali and make
it more difficult to prepare for Brazil. <br>
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<div>Or, those for whom it is a priority for us to work on
internal processes could take that task on themselves, by
developing a proposed set of procedures that they would be happy
with. In fact, please do - that could actually be really
helpful and be a more useful division of labour.</div>
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<br>
Jeremy, <br>
<br>
Since you ask... <br>
<br>
My preferred option is to make BB into a membership based
organisation. My impression at its inaugural meeting was that it was
supposed to emerge as a membership based body, where serious and
committed civil society organisations/ individuals will like to work
together in peace and with focus, away from the general din of civil
society conversations.<br>
<br>
Very roughly and in brief...<br>
<br>
1, It can have specific membership criteria, to ensure effective
working, representation, and so on... to see it remains really and
effectively civil society ......<br>
<br>
2, Preferably a basic charter with statement of vision/ mission,
objectives and activities is written (it may take time, and get
written as we go, as long as a decision is taken) <br>
<br>
3, Consensus, rough consensus, polling etc processes to be evolved
and coded to assess the views of members on various issues .<br>
<br>
4, A small -4-5 member steering committee to be elected by the
membership will to do routine tasks ( a two co- coordinator model
can be used or a hybrid between the two) , and other tasks that
may be decided in the charter, and by the membership from time to
time. This will include representing BB network to others, but with
keeping the group very closely posted about all things, helping the
membership chose reps through nomcoms, online polling etc.. and so
on.. <br>
<br>
5, The committee/ co-cos will have a strong disciplinary role so
that the space does not get rigged to be made ineffective, or
otherwise spoiled... This power would of course be subject to
appeal.....<br>
<br>
However, if some people insist that BB is just a neutral platform
and should remain as one, and it only facilitates voluntary
cooperation and voluntary common action by civil society groups/
individuals who want to do so, then<br>
<br>
BB can/ should only :<br>
<br>
1. provide an open discussion forum, where over discussion people
can work out positions to work further together on, and/ or take
action together on, whereby they move the issue to discuss further
among those who want to cooperate in this manner.<br>
<br>
2. Host an online tool to put out statements which are open to
signed by anyone, and then delivered (strictly) in the name of the
signing organisation. Nowhere the name of BB is mentioned in these
statements because any such mention just gives the impression to
outsiders that it is a BB statement, which is a mis- representation.
<br>
<br>
Since a platform represents no one (a statement also made recently
by Jeremy) it cannot be represented by anyone for any substantive
purpose, including by the steering committee. It has to forgo all
such tasks (well, people can still issue joint statements proposing
anything, including their - but not BB's - joint reps or nominees
and so )<br>
<br>
This is my understanding about the difference between a membership
based organisation (which derives its legitimacy from its members)
and a member-less platform which has merely a facilitating function
(and thus has no 'substantive legitimacy' since there is no one to
give it legitimacy) <br>
<br>
The above is a rather rough and indicative text and there would be
many gaps in it.....<br>
<br>
So, BB can either be a membership based body or it can be just a
neutral facilitating platform, but cant be shifting between two as
per convenience of some - take up substantive tasks with assumed
legitimacy as if it were a membership based body, and then when
process question are asked - to ensure processes so that membership
views are appropriately gathered and conveyed - take up the defence
that BB is just a neutral platform...<br>
<br>
And if there are some real hybrid options, then lets discuss them as
well...<br>
<br>
It is not necessary to agree on everything right now, and have
charter, processes etc all ready right now - suspending substantive
work till we have everything. Not at all.... We need to just try and
form a broad agreement on overall form, and corresponding
implications for processes and substantive docs etc. We can then
begin giving it concrete shape without disturbing the current pace
of work, which the current arrangement can keeping taking care
or....<br>
<br>
<br>
parminder<br>
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<p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica;
font-size: 9pt; font-weight: normal; font-style:
normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><b>Dr
Jeremy Malcolm<br>
Senior Policy Officer<br>
Consumers International | the global campaigning
voice for consumers</b><br>
Office for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East<br>
Lot 5-1 Wisma WIM, 7 Jalan Abang Haji Openg, TTDI,
60000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia<br>
Tel: +60 3 7726 1599</p>
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