CSG Budget and Operating Plan Working Group Statement

["Chris Chaplow" <chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The CSG Budget and Operating Plan Working Group Statement

 

The CSG Organized a budget and Operating plan working group to attempt to
provide informed and coordinated comments for the Budget and Operating Plan
and Strategic Plan. The  CSG Constituencies [BC, IPC, ISPCP] are committed
to providing analysis and comments to ICANN's Draft FY13 Operating Plan and
Budget.

However, the CSG  Business and Operating Plan Working Group continues to
find itself quite challenged to offer comments at this time  for the
following reasons:

 

FY 13 Framework Statement
<http://forum.icann.org/lists/op-budget-fy2013/msg00003.html>
http://forum.icann.org/lists/op-budget-fy2013/msg00003.html)

 

The 21-day public comment period is inadequate. As expressed on a number of
occasions, including at the Costa Rica meeting by IPC's President (

http://costarica43.icann.org/meetings/sanjose2012/transcript-ppc-15mar12-en.
pdf, at pp. 8-10)," limiting the public comment period to 21 days has the
inevitable effect, even if not the purpose, of restricting or eliminating
the ability of representative organizations to comment on issues."

 

The BC and ISPCP support the IPC's concerns. 

 

This is particularly true when, as is the case with CSG, the representative
organization itself is comprised of three constituencies who in turn are
composed largely of associations and other representative organizations. 

 

Changes in the public comment period is the result of inadequate
consultation with consideration for the communities capabilities. The
reduced duration of the baseline to 24 days for FY13 (1 May to 24th May)
public comment from 31 days for FY12 (17 May to 17 June) is antithetical to
true transparency and accountability. That is not in ICANN's interest, nor
in our commitment to analysize, consider and comment. 

 

We hope to submit reply comment. We will respond to all issues.  Given the
lack of time frames that reflect the needs of the community, we note that
limiting  reply comments to only issues raised in the initial comment period
is not meeting the needs  of the community. It is further limiting and, in
our opinion, counterproductive to a robust public discourse on the issues
posted for public comment.   

 

Chris Chaplow

Chair CSG Budget and Operating Plan Working Group