[ga] Extension of the Interim Board Directors

["Roberto Gaetano" <roberto.gaetano@voila.fr>]

Folks,

I wouls like to give my two cents on this.
First of all, Sandy has asked whether the Chair would oppose a motion: I
 would not oppose it, but I would suggest to be careful in the contents.


The extension of the original term for some Interim Board Members was 
suggested by Vint Cerf, and approved by the ICANN Board, many months ago
, and we have to make sure that we don't give the impression to react to
 the choice of names (which is none of our business) rather than to the 
principle. Incidentally, on the principle we should have reacted when it
 first was proposed, as I did (but only at the personal level, because I
 had no mandate by the GA to speak in its name).

I am personally in favour of leaving the empty seats.
The Board has ruled with 9+1 Directors for a while, I don't see what 
harm it will do to run with 14+1 Directors.
This will fulfill the promises done in the beginning, i.e. that the 
initial Directors would have been in office for an interim period of a 
maximum of two years, non re-eligible immediately.
The current extension will break this engagement.

I agree with Bret that the Board has the power to fill in empty seats, 
but, again, that will mean that the interim Directors would be elected 
immediately after their interim period, wich was not the understanding 
at the ICANN formation time.

Also, to have the seats empty will be a better picture of the current 
situation, which is that our process for electing the AtLarge Directors 
is incomplete (and needs to be completed, instead of being put aside and
 forgotten for a while).

Last but not least, I am very uncomfortable, and getting increasingly 
suspicious over time, about the attitude of the ICANN Board to bend the 
rules and amend the Bylaws instead of facing the problems for what they 
are. This was possible in the "grace period" of two years initially 
agreed upon, it is a scandal from the next Annual Meeting onwards.

The two years will be over after the November meeting: ICANN has to grow
 up, and has no further excuse not to. Otherwise people may think about 
a Peter Pan complex ;>).

Best regards
Roberto
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