(update 3rd Dec 2010 : updated Jacqueline Morris’ status as associate chair of ICANN NomCom – Dev T)
Background about ICANN, At-Large, LACRALO
At-Large is the name for the community of individual Internet users who participate in the policy development work of ICANN. Groups throughout the world that deal with individual Internet users’ interests can register with and participate in ICANN. The Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society is one such group recognized by ICANN as an At-Large Structure (ALS) since 2006.
The Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS), along with 10 other ALSes in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ICANN to create the first At-Large Regional At-Large Organisation, LACRALO.
Today, The Latin American and Caribbean Regional At-Large Organisation (LACRALO) includes 36 ALSes in 15 countries in the Latin America and the Caribbean region. Together, LACRALO represents the regional interests of the At-Large community of individual Internet users in ICANN from Latin America and the Caribbean.
One of the directors from TTCS, Dev Anand Teelucksingh, is serving as the LACRALO secretariat since 2009.
At Cartagena, another director from TTCS, Cintra Sooknanan will also be attending.
What’s happening at ICANN Cartagena
Note that Cartagena time is one hour earlier than Trinidad and Tobago time. Many if not all meetings allow for remote participation for live viewing and live transcripts for some of the larger meetings. If you view the
meeting schedule and click to a specific meeting, there are participation details for how to remotely connect to that meeting.
TTCS’ involvement in ICANN At-Large activities
As LACRALO secretariat and as the primary At-Large Representative from the Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society, I (Dev Anand Teelucksingh) have been involved with several Working Groups which will be presenting in Cartagena :
ALAC/At-Large Improvements project
The goal of the ALAC/At-Large Improvements project is to review and improve both ALAC/At-Large’s participation in ICANN and the ALSes’ participation in At-Large. This will be done through the implementation of the 13 recommendations outlined in the At-Large Review Work Group’s Final Report and detailed in the
Simplified At-Large Improvements Implementation Outline.
We have divided these recommendations into four groups, each of which has been assigned to a work team consisting of ALAC members and regional representatives.
I am chair of
Work Team D : Work team on ALAC’s policy advice development, which is assigned to the implementation of the following recommendations :
- Rec 8: ALAC may request public comment period be extended to 45 days
- Rec 12: Consumer representatives should have input into decisions and policy advice
- Rec 13: ALAC/At-Large policy advice mechanisms should be strengthened.
There are several flowcharts that were developed :
I am also a member of
Work Team B : Work team on ALS participation, which is assigned to the implementation of the following recommendations :
LACRALO will organize a showcase event on Monday December 6 2010, 1800 to 1900 local Cartagena time to :
- highlight the activites of the ALSes of LACRALO in Latin America and the Caribbean
- engage in outreach activities for regional Internet user organisations attending Cartagena.
I am serving as the chair of the LACRALO Showcase Working Group preparing for this event.
Cintra Sooknanan from TTCS will be speaking about the TTCS at this showcase event.
I will also be speaking as the LACRALO secretariat.
Mike Tikasingh from TTCS, drew three maps of regions of Latin America and the Caribbean showing the ALSes in LACRALO. These maps will be showcased at the event.
Countries in green shows a country with ALSes (and the pins indicate the number of ALSes in that country)
Countries in orange shows a country in the LAC region without any ALSes.
There are 33 countries in the Latin America and Caribbean region. LACRALO has 36 At-Large Structures (ALSes) from 15 countries.
Also done were ALS factsheets from the region which are being printed and translated for the showcase event. Here’s a
draft ALS factsheet showing only a few of the ALSes in LACRALO.
LACRALO Bylaw Working Group
The 2010 At-Large Structure (ALS) Survey polled the 122 ALSes in At-Large to get current contact information for all ALS representatives and their alternates; to discover what policy areas the ALS Membership is most interested in; and to learn how they prefer to communicate with members of the At-Large community and ICANN At-Large Staff. Additionally, the survey will assist in learning more about the types of At-Large engagement the ALSes are interested in, including the preferred working group format, and whether their Membership is interested in representing the At-Large community at local and regional meetings and contributing to the implementation of the At-Large Improvements project.
The Survey Analysis WG (which I am chair) is preparing a final ALS survey report to be presented at the ALAC and Regional Leadership Working Session 1 on Sunday, 5 December in Cartagena.
Persons from Trinidad and Tobago participating in the ICANN meeting in Cartagena
I note that there are several persons from Trinidad and Tobago that will be present at the ICANN meeting in Cartagena. In no particular order :
- Dev Anand Teelucksingh, ALS representative from Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society and serving as LACRALO Secretariat
- Cintra Sooknanan, ALS Representative from Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society in LACRALO.
- Jacqueline Morris, Associate Chair of the ICANN Nominating Committee, and a a member of the BCEC, which was responsible for the short list of Candidates for the election of the first ever At Large voting Director of the ICANN Board. Also involved with Internet Governance issues (and in TTCS)
- Tracy Hackshaw, from Ministry of Public Administration of Trinidad and Tobago (MPA) and who helped to organise the DiploFoundation IG event in Tobago as a DiploFoundation alumni.
- Patrick Hosein, director at TTNIC, which manages the .tt ccTLD and is serving on the ICANN ccNSO council.
Questions, Comments, are appreciated.
Kind Regards,
Dev Anand Teelucksingh
“networking local computer users!”
