NCSG

[Raymond Mamattah]

Hi all,

This is a beautiful email and you deserve to be congratulated for the great
work done. Well done Jean.

However, the ending of the email is bizarre:

"I will not entertain comments or replies to this email except those
related to decisions yet to be made (and that are quite explicit in the
text)"

I don't think the ICANN expected standard of behavior allows us to be
gagged from commenting or replying to an email sent to us on a public
mailing list.

Good night!

Raymond Mamattah
Accra, Ghana



On Sun, Jan 19, 2025, 4:51 PM Jean F. Quéralt <
000016bf26350d73-dmarc-request at listserv.syr.edu> wrote:

> Dear NGSC EC, NPOC EC, NCSG and NPOC members,
>
>
> This is a strange email. One it didn't occur to me I was going to write
> and yet here we are.
>
> In short, effective immediately I'll cease to provide support to NPOC and
> NCSG beyond my natural attributions as both an organizational and
> individual member.
>
> This is the TLDR version.
> For those interested, the explanations are below to the best of my
> abilities.
>
> For handovers, see below.
>
>
> *The circumstances.*
> In my account of the situation I will avoid to name people directly.
> Although everyone pretty much knows who is who in these stories.
>
> *A) NPOC's channels' (and others) credentials (Vaultwarden)*
> As part of my efforts to provide NPOC with an IT infrastructure at par
> with current needs, one of the main tasks was to secure all credentials
> used by NPOC EC and establish an effective way to do handovers between
> leadership changes.
> A Vaultwarden instance was created and all credentials secured in it. NPOC
> had now a credentials vault that is fully self-hosted, with unique and
> complex passwords for all platforms as well as MFA enabled when available.
> It also had a proper credentials structure that allowed full handovers in
> under 10 minutes.
>
> Ever since Istanbul I tried several times to hand over these.
> The procedure needs to be performed ONCE yet in the correct sequence.
>
> Just last week I was stood up not once but twice for calls I had organized
> to do the handover.
> After the last attempt, I requested advise to how to proceed with this.
> It's been 4 days and I haven't heard back.
> This is on top of several attempts during Istanbul and some more after it
> (one did materialize, which is where an SMTP problem was detected).
>
> I have also invited, several times, the other reps involved in using this
> credentials to book me (I gave a personal booking link) to explain how to
> use Vaultwarden (plus all the other platforms described below) and how the
> structures and templates I created work... to no avail. No one has booked
> me to this date despite having made myself largely available.
> But time for attacks and defamation wasn't in short supply, as I saw
> recently.
>
> The important thing to me is that this is already going on to close to 2
> months and the handover is not yet done.
>
> Yes, there were problems with the instance (SMTP was buggy and the
> solution, after looking into it for hours, was to update the instance
> version) and yet these could have been solved either in Istanbul or soon
> after should the people involved in the handover had taken any interest on
> this.
>
> I also understand that everyone has work outside of NPOC, that we are all
> volunteers, etc...
> The situation just reached an untenable point in which I am done to be
> blamed for this not being done already. If everyone is busy, so am I.
>
> Moreover, all the efforts done in consolidating and securing the
> credentials have gone to waste as NPOC EC members have unilaterally decided
> to reset some of the passwords.
> I cannot provide any reassurances as to the quality and safety of these
> new passwords so I won't be accepting any responsibility for anything
> happening to those accounts.
>
>
> *B) The NPOC seat on the NCSG EC.*
> A few months back, and to my surprise, I was offered to fill one of the
> seats for NPOC at the NCSG EC.
> I didn't feel particularly prepared yet I was assured my only attributions
> would be to review membership submissions. It turned out that this was not
> accurate, as I discovered later on.
> Personally, I took the request as an opportunity to speed up my
> understanding and increase my participation in ICANN.
>
> To be clear, I have nothing against the people who have recently been
> appointed for the NPOC seats @ NCSG EC.
> I have however reservations as to how all these processes are managed as I
> learned about the new positions only because of a semi-formal announcement
> on a mailing list.
> At the time of writing this email I have not yet being told by NPOC
> leadership this change of situation, which has implications in my schedule
> and the work I was undertaking for NCSG.
>
> I was kept in the dark as to why the person before me was removed and I
> was put in his stead.
> I have been kept in the dark as to the results of the current
> "elections"(?).
> If I was approached personally to help with the "vacancy", I would expect
> to be approached personally to be told "You are out" (which I am fine
> with!).
>
> All in all, I find this waltz to be unbecoming of proper leadership. This
> is not what I expect from the NPOC EC at large.
>
>
> *C) Leadership*
> Since I joined NPOC, all I have observed (and witnessed) are petty
> attitudes from certain members, certainly fueled by personal interests more
> than working for the community.
> I have attempted to follow the established ranks and support the elected
> reps because that's what we are suppose to do as elected chairs. This has
> obviously proven to be a sterile attempt.
> The frictions, veiled accusations, political games, power plays and other
> distasteful attitudes that I have witnessed are not the result of natural
> clashes between people with different opinions. They are unnecessary and
> only make active participation in NPOC a 5 stars challenge.
>
> We wonder why we don't have "fresh blood"?
>
>
> *D) IT infrastructure & services for NPOC*
> I have purchased platforms for NPOC (some with my own money), I had
> created the beginning of an IT infrastructure that would have allowed the
> constituency to have a respectable degree of security and functionality
> moving forward. I had designed a methodology (and started to document it)
> to help automate tasks and streamline operations (less effort) to produce
> information for our constituency members (which, in turn, I was hoping
> would spark new participation).
>
> This had been under a mix of personal initiative (that's on me) and
> requests from the NPOC EC.
> My efforts have been met with lack of interest (by the same people who
> green lighted the approach) and sheer veiled accusations of having some
> hidden agenda by some.
> There is no reason for me to attempt helping on this area moving forward,
> especially not having observed the support that was to be expected by
> members of the NPOC EC.
> The mentality on IT infrastructure is backwards and I don't have any
> interest on fighting it.
>
>
> *E) Other frustrations*
> During one of the NPOC EC meetings, I proposed to structure our reporting,
> to create templates for our participation in sessions. This was intended to
> enable a flow of information for proper Comms (SocMed, Publications,
> Readouts). It was also intended to produce some transparency about what is
> being done and followed by NPOC.
> To my disappointment, the idea was received with a mix of disinterest and
> sheer, blunt opposition.
> I was taken aback by how adamantly some EC members were unhappy with
> something that should be a net positive for the whole constituency. My
> reading is that certain members are not OK with being accountable to the
> work that is expected/declared to be done.
>
> In general, NPOC is lacking direction and spends way too much time and
> energy handling infighting and otherwise petty attitudes. We have little
> resources and we waste them on feuds.
> Much needs to change if NPOC expects to have a role in ICANN.
>
>
> *Handover Tasks*
>
> *- Vaultwarden*
> Info@ remains the Owner.
> I have removed my personal account as Admin.
> The NPOC EC is Admin.
> I will send the Owner credentials to the NPOC EC Chair via separate
> channels.
>
> From that point on, having removed myself from the Admins, I will not
> perform administration tasks on the instance.
> The Vaultwarden instance will remain available for as long as the current
> VPS host keeps it alive.
>
> @NPOC EC:
> A) If NPOC EC wants to make use of it, do proceed.
>
> B) If decision is made to not use this instance, I'll appreciate being
> told and I'll destroy it (saving some organization credits in the process).
> In the scenario where NPOC EC decides to not use the Vault, two dumps will
> be performed:
> - Full dump of credentials >> NPOC EC Chair
> - Partial dump of credentials for SocMed >> NPOC Outreach Chair
> The dumps will be communicated via separate channels to ensure basic
> security.
> Note that all MFA settings will have to be disabled in all applicable
> accounts.
> Whomever handles these accounts later should reactivate MFA as they take
> over them.
>
> 30 natural days should be sufficient to let me know.
>
>
> *- VBout*
> This SocMed scheduled was donated long ago to NPOC and has been used by me
> when I was Comms Chair.
>
> @NPOC EC:
> A) Should NPOC EC wish to use the platform, the necessary credentials are
> in the Vault.
> Plenty of documentation to learn to use the platform is available.
>
> B) Should NPOC EC decide to not use the platform, please let me know and
> I'll delete the sub-account.
>
> 30 natural days should be sufficient to let me know.
>
>
> *- ElkQR*
> This QR generator platform was acquired for NPOC.
> The Admin account is under Info at .
> Should NPOC EC wish to use the platform, the necessary credentials are in
> the Vault.
> It's paid for (it's an LTD) and I will not seek refund.
>
> *- Cloudflare*
> This platform was adopted to manage NPOC's DNS needs under approval of
> NPOC EC.
> The Admin account is under Info at .
> Whomever will take care of handling the DNS can be given the corresponding
> permissions by whomever will be managing IT for NPOC.
>
> *- Canva*
> This platform was configured to have a templated collaterals for SocMed
> and other comms.
> I managed to obtain the NGO license by using my US 501(c)(3) so that NPOC
> could have all the tools available.
> The platform is accessible through Info@
>
> @NPOC EC:
> A) Should the NPOC EC decide to use the platform, they will find all the
> templates I created for the posts.
>
> B) Should NPOC EC decide to not use it, let me know and I'll unlink the
> account.
>
> 30 natural days should be sufficient for this.
>
>
> *- Sleekplan*
> This platform was intended to create a participation environment for NPOC
> members to vote and express their opinions on priorities for NPOC moving
> forward.
> The platform is registered under Info at .
> I managed to get it for the constituency for free.
>
>
> *- Google Account (NPOC.ICANN at Gmail.com - G Drive, Forms, etc.)*
> As NPOC needed some basic storage and a generic Gmail account to
> access/offer services, a Gmail account was created (and fought with Google
> - long story).
> The secondary/recovery email is Info at .
> Credentials are on the Vault.
> The GDrive has an initial folder structure with all the materials I
> managed to collect in while being NPOC Comms Chair.
>
>
> *- NCSG CRM*
> I have proceeded to Delete my account and from this point onward I have no
> access to the NCSG CRM.
> [image: image.png]
> @Andrea Glandon <andrea.glandon at icann.org> I am not sure if there's
> anything else that needs to be done.
> Please proceed, if ever. Thx!
>
>
> *- ICANN NPOC Pages*
> There are a number of NPOC pages @ Community that I should be removed from
> having Edit permissions.
> @Andrea Glandon <andrea.glandon at icann.org> could you look into this? Thx.
> Note to NPOC EC: This is why having a structured credentials access is
> crucial.
> But I am giving up on explaining this.
>
>
> *- NPOC Info@ email/list*
> I still receive the emails sent to this address.
> @Andrea Glandon <andrea.glandon at icann.org> could you please remove me
> from it?
> Thx.
>
>
> *- NPOC Github*
> This was indented to build a backend for NPOC, in terms of task management
> and documentation.
> This account is linked to Info@
> You can do with it what you will.
>
>
> *- Other minor platforms*
> Credentials can be found on the Vault.
> NPOC EC is free to do as it wishes with them.
>
>
> *- NCSG Operating Procedures*
> @Rafik Dammak <rafik.dammak at gmail.com> It is my understanding that I have
> no part to play in this since I am not part of the NCSG EC anymore.
> The document remains available, nothing changes on that end.
> Feel free to disregard the comments I left on it.
>
>
> *- IT for NCSG*
> I owe a gap analysis to the NCSG EC.
> @Rafik Dammak <rafik.dammak at gmail.com> : Do let me know if you still want
> this or not.
> Please note while I'll do the analysis, I won't be helping with
> implementation at this stage as I do not wish to repeat the same mistakes
> as with NPOC.
>
>
> I believe this is all.
>
> I will not entertain comments or replies to this email except those
> related to decisions yet to be made (and that are quite explicit in the
> text).
>
>
> Regards,
> Jean F. Queralt
> Founder & CEO - The IO Foundation <https://TheIOFoundation.org>
> Book a meeting <https://TIOF.Click/BookJFQ> (30 minutes)
>
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