[NCUC-DISCUSS] Reminder!!! Replenishment strategy on ICANN Reserve Fund at 17h00 UTC today

Thu Mar 1 20:03:49 CET 2018

I'm not going to respond point-by-point to your rambling message as it continues to contain misinformation. I don't like to use this card, but I actually was on the webinar that just took place, I have read all the documents on the reserve fund on the ICANN website, I have read all of the documents on the FY18 and FY19 budgets, and I drafted the NCSG comments on both the reserve fund level last November and the FY19 budget this past month. Until you review these documents I really do not think your intervention is helpful, as there is a clear disconnect between what questions we are being asked to answer and indeed what we as the NCSG should be asking ICANN, and what you are commenting on.

As for your comment that the 6% return that the reserve fund is currently generating through a very conservative investment strategy is inadequate, I'm happy to advance the claim that this is a high rate of return for funds that must have a risk profile of no risk or very little risk.

And for the avoidance of doubt I am fully aware as to what a reserve fund is, what a contingency is, and what an operational budget is. Thank you.

—Ayden

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
On 1 March 2018 7:50 PM, Kris Seeburn <seeburn.k at gmail.com> wrote:

> Thato
>
> You are really getting there. Reserve funds by nature is all about keeping the company alive for X number of factored months or years. In the RIR system all RIR have laid down the minimum of Two years at least of operational expenses. The reserve is a safeguard for operational when the hard days come. To ensure continuity of operational aspects.
>
> @Ayden, no i have not heard the recordings yet. But let me scrape your summary in general
>
>>> - Raise it within five years maximum —— Budget in general is for one operational year nothing more than that - It does not cover everything. A budget is an anticipated one not what is already there. We reworked afrinic’s budget to get it out of red to green. We did and we are pitching the reserves for rainmy days with strict board resolution for its use.
>>> - ICANN org operational savings can generate $15m over five years. - RIPE NCC can generate that easily —we are talking ICANN here.
>>> - Raid the new gTLD auction proceeds and take a minimum $36m.-  That may be a first shot but not all contituancies are in agreeement with that
>>> - Remaining shortfall can be funded through EITHER additional funds from fees imposed on the contracted parties OR additional auction proceeds allocation.-  This needs to be actually activated we are not in the 90’s anymore.
>>> - Current investment strategy generates 6% returns per annum - This is not enough, we need a revisit here
>
> @ Ayden contingency is never equal to budget it is just a sum that is put in the plan it does not and never covers the planned operations for the year. If you think contingency is equal to what will be spend for the year then you are highly mistaken and take it from someone who has worked for audit and has been on few boards with understanding of the business.
>
> I am not spreading misinformation i look at the figures and i look at strategy  and the Board’s job to always keep an eye and maintain financial stability. ICANN is a business like any other. I am blunt because i’ve been through same with Afrinic and i am seeing same happening here. So all if you consider my words as misinformation then fine i take the blame for it. But unfortunately i know money problems. It’s not fun to hear depleted. And waiting for 5 years to get it to level. And budgets depending on how it’s run as far as i read some documents. !!!!!!
>
> Ok misinformation from me. Then would be feasible to see what the Board strategy is. A board member has a financial responsibility of the company in anywhere in the world. The constituencies ask and the board looks at whats more than budgeted and allocates.
>
> If the top part doesn’t make sense then i suggest people start understanding IFRS else we will start having budgets and others things that i call good creative accounting. Don’t forget we open the “can of worms” for US government to come in again for a bailout and sit atop again and this time it won’t be dept of commerce. We will sit under FCC which has internet purview.
>
> Sorry to be just blunt but i saw my loving RIR Afrinic sitting on the verge of this kind of situation and through the NRO an emergency bailout fund was created in case any of the RIR was hit hard and at that time it was Afrinic on the line of fire. We don’t say the same today but financial and fiscal responsibility does not sit in the community we can say what we want to at the end of the day the bottom-up process on finance stops at the board.
>
> Please all friends do me a favour am travelling and i do not see some logics nor do i want to read anymore nor will i say anymore than what i said.. I don’t want to hear more. I’ve stated my case. we should not be fighting on these between ourselves we need ICANN org to tell us they can bail themselves out with a financial strategy document and by doing this or that what are the impacts. What i usually call i need budget and spending scenarios and also contingency.
>
> Ayden sorry if you think what i said is misinformation i take it as i have not heard the recordings. I  I only was looking at previous financials and what i saw. sent lately. No answer to me please. I understand finance, audit as much as being an engineer by profession. I would prefer another word than misinformation which sounds hard. That means i am spreading the wrong dynamics here. Recommendation to correct paths also comes from audit committees
>
> Kris
>
>> On Mar 1, 2018, at 22:07, thatomfikwe <thatomfikwe at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> I think we need to consider opetational costs as they influence the targel level amount of the Reserve Fund.
>>
>> One way to minimise costs could be to cut down on meetings (coupled with sessional community meetings) and substatial amounts spent on ICANN staff.
>>
>> Not even sure if Reserve Funds are fully depleted in a particulay year or not. Sorry I could not complete the call, connectivity problem, will keep trying.
>>
>> Thato Mfikwe.
>>
>> Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
>> -------- Original message --------
>> From: Kris Seeburn <seeburn.k at gmail.com>
>> Date: 01/03/2018 19:43 (GMT+02:00)
>> To: Ayden Férdeline <icann at ferdeline.com>
>> Cc: thatomfikwe <thatomfikwe at gmail.com>, NCUC-discuss <ncuc-discuss at lists.ncuc.org>
>> Subject: Re: [NCUC-DISCUSS] Reminder!!! Replenishment strategy on ICANN Reserve Fund at 17h00 UTC today
>>
>> All this is because we don’t have a clear process …. when was the alarm raised. The reserve fund is too less for ICANN. My doubts if operational doesn’t get in there. ICANN needs to keep an eye on the reserve and its operational expenses. How and for what purpose the reserve has gone to so much?
>>
>> Raise in max 5 years i would like to see that with expansion and the loads being paid to executives…..do we need all these staff as much as do we need all these staff to travel?
>>
>> Which projects etc., is eating into the reserves?
>>
>>> On Mar 1, 2018, at 21:36, Ayden Férdeline <icann at ferdeline.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> I can sum up the call rather quickly. The reserve fund is empty and only covers 4.8 months of operating expenses, so has to be replenished. We need $68m.
>>>
>>> Where do we get the money from? The proposed strategy is as follows:
>>>
>>> - Raise it within five years maximum.
>>> - ICANN org operational savings can generate $15m over five years.
>>> - Raid the new gTLD auction proceeds and take a minimum $36m.
>>> - Remaining shortfall can be funded through EITHER additional funds from fees imposed on the contracted parties OR additional auction proceeds allocation.
>>> - Current investment strategy generates 6% returns per annum.
>>>
>>> — Ayden
>>>
>>> ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
>>> On 1 March 2018 4:55 PM, thatomfikwe <thatomfikwe at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Thanks Daniel.
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
>>>> -------- Original message --------
>>>> From: DANIEL NANGHAKA <dndannang at gmail.com>
>>>> Date: 01/03/2018 13:19 (GMT+02:00)
>>>> To: thatomfikwe <thatomfikwe at gmail.com>
>>>> Cc: NCUC-discuss <ncuc-discuss at lists.ncuc.org>
>>>> Subject: Re: [NCUC-DISCUSS] Reminder!!! Replenishment strategy on ICANN Reserve Fund at 17h00 UTC today
>>>>
>>>> Am available, I will make a draft.
>>>>
>>>> On Thursday, March 1, 2018, thatomfikwe <thatomfikwe at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Webinar Details and How to Attend
>>>>>
>>>>> Date: 1 March 2018
>>>>>
>>>>> Time 17:00 UTC
>>>>>
>>>>> To participate please access the Remote Participation:
>>>>>
>>>>> https://participate.icann.org/planning
>>>>>
>>>>> If anyone want to volunteer to draft a summary of the webinar, please come forward so that we can share the experience with the wider community thanks.
>>>>>
>>>>> Looking forward to seeing you in the call.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thato Mfikwe.
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>>
>>>> Regards
>>>> Nanghaka Daniel K.
>>>> Executive Director - ILICIT Africa / Chair - FOSSFA / Community Lead - ISOC Uganda Chapter / Geo4Africa Lead / Organising Team - FOSS4G2018
>>>> Mobile +256 772 898298 (Uganda)
>>>> Skype: daniel.nanghaka
>>>>
>>>> ----------------------------------------- "Working for Africa" -----------------------------------------
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Ncuc-discuss mailing list
>>> Ncuc-discuss at lists.ncuc.org
>>> https://lists.ncuc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/ncuc-discuss
>>
>> Kris Seeburn
>> seeburn.k at gmail.com
>>
>> - www.linkedin.com/in/kseeburn/
>>
>> "Life is a Beach, it all depends at how you look at it"
>
> Kris Seeburn
> seeburn.k at gmail.com
>
> - www.linkedin.com/in/kseeburn/
>
> "Life is a Beach, it all depends at how you look at it"
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