[governance] Your key ICANN issues as a user

Thu Jun 19 14:21:43 EDT 2014

Hello,

This is probably my first post to this group, having been monitoring it for a few years. Let me try to get a few things straight as ICANN is about to take on full stewardship.

ICANN is about end users. It is about creating a multi-stakeholder governance of the internet. No problem with ICANN, problem is the lack of participation of sufficient end users, especially in the Caribbean. Of the 14 or so countries in the Caribbean, only 4 participate in ICANN (Guyana, T&T, Jamaica and Barbados). In comparison, Latin America has about 5 times the countries participating in LACRALO, which is the Latin America and Caribbean (region) participants in ICANN. There are five regions. As a result, Latin America dominates and this is a problem we have been battling with for nearly five years, so the homogenous treatment is apparent because of the domination or the lack of participation of the Caribbean. We have been very unsuccessful in recruiting organisations from the Caribbean. I am not sure why, but the answer is not in complaining about ICANN, but participating to ensure that you get what you want.

At this present moment, Caribbean is trying to emerge as a separate entity within the region. We (Caribbean) have started to speak with one voice so that we are not split. When we vote we try to vote as a bloc, etc., but we are only four. The problem is so bad that at the last General Assembly of LACRALO, which lasted four hours, never got past agenda item #2 (confirmation of the agenda), because the LA organisations did not want our motions on the agenda. We ended up using all the technicalities to get our motions for better governance and diversity on the agenda, while they did everything in their power to prevent it. I believe that meeting should be in the guinness book of records. Never before have I been part of such a meeting.

Having said that, the real issue would be the domination of regions by the stronger sub regions as Caribbean would be. I am not sure if this is happening in the other four regions, but I do suspect that some sub-regions would be consumed by larger subregions; for example Pacific Islands under Asian region. The suggestion should be for ICANN to recognise the sub-regions rather than just the region. Of course this would have its challenges in terms of the budget for travel to meetings, etc. so that each sub-region is represented and not the entire region being represented by one person from the dominant sub-region... but to my mind, this is not insurmountable... it can be worked out.

I would therefore support a call for recognition of sub-regions in order to overcome the apparent problem. As I said, it is not a question of ICANN imposing itself, but the arrangement within the regions because ICANN depends on the users. If you want more info on the workings of the difficulties we are facing, I will be happy to answer any question with respect to Caribbean and the Latin American region, referred to as LACRALO.

ROK
Roosevelt O. King
Secretary General
Barbados Association of Non Governmental Organisations
#10 Garrison, St. Michael
Barbados, Caribbean
Office: 246-571-3535
Mobile: 246-822-7707 / 254-5815
e-mail: admin at bango.org.bb 
Network: www.ngo.bb 

From: Deirdre Williams 
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2014 9:08 AM
To: Internet Governance ; Nnenna Nwakanma 
Subject: Re: [governance] Your key ICANN issues as a user

Dear Nnenna, 

ICANN needs to understand that we, the end users, are not all the same, and that attempts to homogenise us are a very serious mistake; in fact we could call such attempts crimes against humanity.

It also needs to understand that we don't all belong to it and there is no compelling reason why we should, so it needs to shift its approach towards the conciliatory and welcoming.

I've taken the liberty of sharing your message with Latin America and the Caribbean - to the best of my ability.

2 cents :-)

Deirdre

On 19 June 2014 08:35, Nnenna Nwakanma <nnenna75 at gmail.com> wrote:

  Hi there

  ICANN is holding its second At-Large Summit  (ATLAS) next week, during ICANN 50 in London.

  I will be doing a brief keynote speech "as a user".

  Just checking with you, from where you are, what are your key issues that you think ICANN should be made to understand?

  I will do what is possible to take the message along, to the measure of my ability.

  The ATLAS holds Tuesday.

  Cheers

  Nnenna

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