[governance] Caucus Position on Oversight?

[William Drake]

McTim,

As you are a recent arrival, this may not be apparent to you, but the
global digital divide and access were dealt with extensively in WSIS Phase
I.  This was the overarching focus of the ITU secretariat and governments
at the outset of the process, although the agenda subsequently broadened,
including in response to the CS push for a people-centered approach, as
well as the widely accepted need to address policy matters, including
policy dimensions of governance.

Even now, the parallel debates on financial mechanisms as well follow up
and implementation are heavily informed by and oriented toward GDD related
concerns.  Alas, there have been very very few new commitments of
resources to do anything on the part of the industrialized countries or
business community, which has helped feed developing country and CS
frustrations. It also adds juice to the focus on governance.  So sorry,
it's just not true that the GDD and capacity building have not been talked
about, they have, and still are, but this has resulted in little action,
which is transparent to all.

Which is part of why the current ISOC/CCBI campaign is so misguided and
besides the point.  We just listened to both organizations' reps speak in
SubCom A from essentially the same script (groupthink, or taking a page
from US Republicans?)---forget all this governance talk, work through the
existing organizations which are all fine, focus instead on the GDD and
capacity building.  This effort to redirect the conversation away from
what everyone else wants to talk about is not going to work, full stop. 
It just makes ISOC and CCBI look out of touch with reality, and like they
want to stop something in the 11th hour that has three years of
accumulated wind in its sails.

The time to do this would have been three years ago, when ISOC wasn't
engaging WSIS seriously and seemed to think the whole exercise was beneath
it.  Oops.

I hope you will read this in the spirit in which it's intended, as loyal
opposition from yet another frustrated and disenfrachised ISOC member.

Best,

Bill


> -----Original Message-----
> From: governance-bounces at lists.cpsr.org
> [mailto:governance-bounces at lists.cpsr.org]On Behalf Of McTim
> Sent: Monday, September 26, 2005 9:48 AM
> To: Ian Peter
> Cc: Governance
> Subject: Re: [governance] Caucus Position on Oversight?
>
>
> Morning Ian (morning in Geneva at least),
>
> On 9/25/05, Ian Peter <ian.peter at ianpeter.com> wrote:
> > McTim, let's separate the issues here.
> >
> > There is a digital divide issue being addressed at WSIS.
>
> No, in fact it is NOT being addressed, this is my point.
>
> >
> > There is also an Internet governance issue being addressed.
>
> This "sexy" topic gets more attention than all others put together.
>
> I am now in the African Caucus (governmental), and IG is (and has
> been) the only topic on the agenda.
>
>
> >
> > WE have no disagreement about the importance of the first
> issue. Addressing
> > this appropriately is important. However, this does not
> distract from the
> > importance of the second issue. They are separate and will both be
> > addressed.
>
> I am afraid you are incorrect.  I am quite sure of it in fact.
> Sad, but true.
>
>
> --
> Cheers,
>
> McTim

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