NCSG Travel Policy Lacks Inclusivity Please

[Wisdom Donkor]

+1 Remmy, Well elaborated. I will also add that communication needs to improve. We need a communication strategy, a strategy among other things that will bring about a  quarterly reports and briefings from the executives on the activities of NCSG. This I think will promote inclusiveness, transparency and accountability

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 7, 2018, at 11:26 PM, Stephanie Perrin <stephanie.perrin at MAIL.UTORONTO.CA> wrote:
> 
> Remmy, in my experience committees are only as strong as the work they do.  That depends on people getting organized, developing a plan, and coming together to achieve their goals.  As Rafik said a           moment ago....our job as a GNSO stakeholder group is to develop policy, and we have a pile of it ahead of us this year.  The Finance committee has been around since at least 2013, but it is not clear what work they have engaged in , or how you are engaging since you joined.  As I said, an update at the monthly policy meetings would be very helpful to keep us all informed.   We are now in a declining revenues environment where ICANN may decrease our funding in order to manage the budget, so it would be good if the committee could get organized and first of all examine the ICANN expenditures and budget, as well as ensuring our own fiscal management.  Metrics for value resulting from travel requests (e.g. CROP, outside meetings etc.) ought to be developed, in my view.
> 
> The point in getting speedy notice of lapsing travel spots, is so that we can reallocate the funds to other candidates, and ensure that leadership roles have well informed back up people who are ready and able to fly in at short notice and at reasonable cost.  While we are not allocated a travel budget to manage ourselves (it is all managed and approved by Constituency Travel), our travel costs are all publicly displayed and criticised by other stakeholder groups when excessive (due to last minute requests, extra demands etc.).  Accountability starts at home.  
> 
> Believe me, we need all 6 councilors to be there and be on their toes at the three major public meetings, especially with Rafik as Vice-Chair, he is already working overtime on Council management.  I am of course interested in hearing your rationale as to why travel slots should be allocated to Finance Committee members, but until there is tangible work in progress, I would think it is a lower priority.  As anyone who is staffing the PDPs, the Review teams, and the Council will tell you, we cannot keep up with the work and need all the help we can get when meeting face to face.
> 
> Kind regards
> 
> Stephanie
>> On 2018-07-07 17:49, Remmy Nweke wrote:
>> Thanks Stephanie for the comments.
>> 
>> Frankly speaking we are building the Finance Committee from scratch and actually held our first meeting last week as the current NCSG-FC as follow up of ICANN62.
>> 
>> Hence we are surprised that out of two committees statutorily under NCSG and little concern is given in strengthening the other and pray that changes soon.
>> 
>> Also We are in the process of getting some first hand updates to facilitate agenda for future meeting calls within the NCSG-FC specifics.
>> 
>> Regards
>> Remmy
>> 
>>> On Sat, 7 Jul 2018 9:39 pm Stephanie Perrin, <stephanie.perrin at mail.utoronto.ca> wrote:
>>> I am impressed Remmy, I had no idea you folks were doing all that work!  Can you please point us to the meeting transcripts and mailing list archives?  I would like to catch up.  I am on the GNSO Council finance committee, but was unaware all this work was going on within NCSG.                    Perhaps the Finance Committee should have a regular update agenda item at the monthly NCSG Policy Meeting call?
>>> 
>>> Kind regards, 
>>> 
>>> Stephanie Perrin
>>>> On 2018-07-07 16:08, Remmy Nweke wrote:
>>>> Thanks for the response Farzaneh,
>>>>  
>>>> I think it would amount to not wanting to make Finance Committee improve on its working processes and mandate to sound it off as mere “protecting the interest of members or wanting to score travel slot” which I think negates the purpose of the Finance Committee or probably why it has been in comatose lately.
>>>>  
>>>> For your information, the role and mandate of Finance Committee as contained in the NCSG Charter Section 2.6 is very clear and is not limited to the following:
>>>>  
>>>> Develop and deploy a fund raising plan for the NCSG;
>>>>  
>>>> Work with the ICANN’s staff to determine levels of support available to the NCSG;
>>>>  
>>>> Work with ICANN finance officers to insure the NCSG and its Constituencies receive fair and equivalent financial support from ICANN;
>>>>  
>>>> Accounting for any funds received by the NCSG from any source. This accounting will include the following:
>>>>  
>>>> All funds raised by voluntary membership fees or otherwise must be held in a separate NCSG account.
>>>>  
>>>> Proper controls must be implemented.
>>>>  
>>>> Regarding Expenditures, FC is to among others see that:
>>>> 
>>>> Financial reports must be prepared annually and be made public.
>>>> Provide internal conflict resolution process regarding funds.
>>>> Provide the oversight of the Treasurer function.
>>>>  
>>>> Fulfill any other accounting, auditing or other prescribed financial requirements as set by the ICANN Board of Directors for organizations within the ICANN structure.
>>>>  
>>>> For now, the present crop of FC are not people who are merely seeking exposure, but want to contribute its quota, and thus find it unhealthy that Finance Committee is being relegated.
>>>>  
>>>> Looking at most of the responsibilities of the Finance                     Committee, its stakeholders  and possible time for most of its functions and oversights must be dealt with within the ICANN stakeholdes meeting for proper engagement.
>>>>  
>>>> Finally, its in the best interest of NCSG-EC that the Finance Committee work and works well, so as to pave way for more accountability and transparency in our process and overtly more funding for our stakeholders.
>>>> We cannot be demanding accountability and transparency from other stakeholders and tactically frustrate the efforts of Finance Committee thereby making the committee look as irredeemables.
>>>> 
>>>> Remmy
>>>> 
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