Colleagues,
Hong Xue has kindly put together a draft statement on the NomCom Review.
I assume the NomCom Review WG (composed of Alejandro Pisanty, Peter
Dengate-Thrush, Njeri Rionge, Mouhamet Diop, Jonathan Cohen and Steve
Goldstein see http://www.icann.org/reviews/nomcom-28feb07.htm) is still
soliciting input, and as such attach the draft for your comments and
input.
Your comments would be appreciated by January 10th, 2008.
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APRALO
Statement on
NomCom Revision
NomCom
assumes the important responsibility of recruitment
and appointment of qualified candidates to the Board of the ICANN.
Undeniably,
NomCom has successfully recruited a number of talented people who made
or are making
significant contributions to the Board and the whole ICANN community.
However,
from the perspective of the Asia-Pacific Internet user community,
NomCom’s
latest appointment of Board members seemingly deviated from those
principles
that it had sustained. With all three appointees from Europe and no one
from Asia, the appointment further
deteriorates the
geographical unbalance in the Board. As a result, there is now only one
member
of the Board from Asia (India).
Notwithstanding that all three European appointees to the Board are
excellent
and qualified talents, undermining the principle of geographical and
cultural
diversity concerns the Asia-Pacific Internet user community. It is
legitimate
for the AP users to doubt whether the demands and needs from this
region can
sufficiently and promptly be understood and addressed by such a
west-dominated
Board. The users wish to ask whether the NomCom anticipated such
consequence
when making the selection.
Apart
from the principle of diversity, the user community
is also concerned about the procedural justice of selection. It is far
from clear
why the NomCom selected one candidate over another. Particularly, those
candidates who were interviewed but unselected did not even get a
notification
or a message of regret. They did not know they had failed until and
unless the
result was announced. This is very counterproductive to further
recruitment efforts. Those people who volunteered their time and energy
in participation
of NomCom selection deserve respect and appreciation.
APRALO
hopes that NomCom process could be substantially and
efficiently improved through this review and the Internet community in
this region is
willing to offer any help, if needed.
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Kind regards,
Rajnesh D. Singh
Chair, ICANN Asia Pacific Regional At-Large Organisation www.apralo.org