[ripe-list] ripe-list Digest, Vol 139, Issue 9

On 11/05/2023 12:12, denis walker wrote:
> Hi guys
> 
> People who work for a national lottery company are also citizens and
> residents of the country. But they are usually not allowed to buy
> lottery tickets. Pro footballers are also football supporters. But
> they cannot gamble on the outcome of a game. There are many examples
> of a group of people who act as an executive body or secretariat but
> cannot make decisions for the larger body they serve. For RIPE NCC
> staff, my view would be that it is fine for them to be involved in
> making decisions (openly and transparently) about technical and
> operational matters and to be actively involved in discussions about
> policies, which they often have a deep understanding of. But to
> determine the outcome of policy discussions and setting the policies
> that govern those operations, which they then implement, may be
> crossing the line on conflict of interest.

That's a good argument. So I think you are saying that RIPE NCC staff 
can take a full part in discussions but shouldn't actually be involved 
in the decisions about consensus, ie they shouldn't be a WG Chair.

Although I have absolutely no doubt that RIPE NCC employees are in 
general capable of splitting their community and work hats, for the sake 
of the appearance of things they should avoid even the appearance of 
conflict of interest.

All the best

Nigel