[governance] Discussing the Agenda for Rio in Geneva

[Nyangkwe Agien Aaron]

Milton's remark on  "We need thematic specialists as
moderators, not "crowd handling" specialists or showmen -- it seemed the
purpose here was to keep true debate dissolved into generalities"   to
me is alarmist.
A TV Host {Journalist} bases his follow up questions on possible feed
backs from the populace so as to render participation inclusive.
He/she makes sure that answers obtained respond to a certain general
appeal - the reasons for such meetings. The situation become different
when sessions are moderated by "thematic specialists", in this case,
discussions are squared and full of "thematic specialists dogma" that
transform other participamts into strangers. I think that we should
not arrive at a situation where people are invited to stay as zombies
while "speciaists" have their day.
BTW no body stops a "thematic specialist" from refocusing a debate
when he/she notice that a moderator is taking the discussion towards a
desert. My advise is that instead of semonising the host, specialists
should henceforth play the proper watch dog, the reasons why ther are
invited into many sessions

Nyangkwe


On 2/12/07, Jeremy Malcolm <Jeremy at malcolm.id.au> wrote:
> Parminder wrote:
> > My point of departure for this is the strong sense that the existing
> > governance structure of IGF has taken a certain attitude (which is very very
> > political, in my view, and not just administrative though that's how it may
> > be passed off) that IGF is to be, more or less, an annual IG conference.
> > George Sadowsky's comments (and he is a special advisor to the chair) are
> > quite forthright on this issue, and he has cited the 'general feeling' in
> > the IGF governance structure and not just his own views.
> >
> > To substantiate his assertion, one only has to note the drift of the
> > synthesis paper prepared by the IGF for this meeting. While the paper does a
> > good work of putting different views together, it does betray the mind of
> > the present IGF governance structure on this issue(As Jeremy has noted).
> > Very strangely, it seems to, in a way, give legitimacy to the view that the
> > Tunis agenda mandated only a 'discussion forum' task for IGF, and anything
> > else will mean going beyond the Tunis agenda.
>
> The writing was on the world earlier than that.  I have just been going
> back over the transcripts of the last public consultations, and I came
> across this gem of an exchange between Brazil and Nitin Desai from May:
>
> BRAZIL: Even though we are not going to take decisions in the forum ---
> that's why we are calling it a forum --- we can have recommendations.
> ... Non-binding recommendations, but it would be recommendations ... we
> are going to send back, I suppose, to the Secretary-General of the
> United Nations, and then these recommendations can be delivered to
> specific bodies that takes decisions on matters. Then my suggestion, Mr
> Chairman, then we have ... panels, groups, study groups in between, as
> many as we want, as we decide, as the group decides. Each one producing
> recommendations on a consensus basis. Of course there will be no votes.
> Recommendations goes back to the last plenary, and then we approve, and
> we are ready to go ....
>
> DESAI: Consensus between 500 participants from multiple sectors groups.
> I will put it to the advisory group. It's an interesting thought. I will
> put it to them and see how they feel about it.
>
> --
> Jeremy Malcolm LLB (Hons) B Com
> Internet and Open Source lawyer, IT consultant, actor
> host -t NAPTR 1.0.8.0.3.1.2.9.8.1.6.e164.org|awk -F! '{print $3}'
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-- 
Aaron Agien Nyangkwe
Journalist/Outcome Mapper
Special Assistant To The President
ASAFE
Tel. 237 337 50 22
Fax. 237 342 29 70
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