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September 30, 2005:
September was a busy month for the Internet
Names Authorization & Information Center (INAIC) as six of seven
INAIC Council members resigned after Joe Baptista, the PublicRoot
Representative, uncovered financial and ethical irregularities.
The INAIC Council is composed of seven independent volunteers. The
Council approves, creates and delegates new Top-Level Domains (TLDs) in
the INAIC Public-Root. These requests are initiated by any TLD Registrar.
The council was also in the middle of a transition plan to transfer
control of INAIC directly to the TLD Holders and the internet public at
large.
This was the second time in Inclusive Name Space history that a group of
TLD owners were organized. The first was the
Top Level Domain Association (TLDA),
the trade association that developed the Inclusive Name Space product
now used by INAIC. Baptista is a founding member of the association.
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Joe Baptista, PublicRoot Representative
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A well known Inclusive Name Space advocate, Baptista
was contracted by INAIC to ensure that the organizations policy
and technical procedures were compliant with community standards. This
included ensuring the interests of new Top-Level Domain (TLD) owners were
protected.
Council resignations included Dr.
Mehmet Altuner the representative for the Government of Turkey,
Andrew Dawe of SITA and
Henk Doorenspleet of
Rabobank both representatives of UNIDT. Frank Corsi, Steve Marmott and
Gene Marsh, TLD owners, also resigned. Paul Scheepers, a partner of
Herman Xennt, an INAIC founder, and the director of INAIC subsidiary Public-Root Limited in
the United Kingdom, remained the only member left on council.
INAIC Council resignations (left to right): Mehmet Altuner, Andrew Dawe,
Henk Doorenspleet, Frank Corsi, Steve Marmott and Gene Marsh.
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The resignation of Altuner, a representative of the Turkish Government,
signals the end of an INAIC membership facility in Turkey. Turkey was
the first country to move their internet name space to the PublicRoot.
Turkish ISPs switched over this June, at the same
time Altuner joined the council.
Dawe is also
a major loss to the organization. The international lawyer volunteered
his time to ensure new TLD holders from UNIDT were properly represented in
INAIC. Corsi, Marmott and Marsh represent a vote of non-confidence from
the TLD community at large.
The resignations end an experiment to make INAIC a policy body for the
Inclusive Name Space and PublicRoot brand.
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Jordan Kimball, a founding member of the INAIC Council resigned this past
June, three months prior to Baptista's announcement.
In a letter addressed to council Kimball warned that key members in
INAIC were under investigation or litigation, and that there had been
convictions for "felonious activities".
"The organization was
corrupt" said Kimball, "and many dealings were without council
knowledge". Kimball was concerned his name was being used to approve
measures that he had no idea of and he refused to be a "rubber
stamp" for the organization.
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"Kimball was right", said Baptista of the claims, "Scheepers and Xennt were
found guilty of tax fraud and owe the local tax authorities over one
million guilders in fines". His investigation also uncovered a kick
back scheme involving INAIC founder Herman Xennt and UNIDT (Unified
Identity Technology) manager Marcel Bor.
"This is just the tip of the iceberg", said Baptista who went to council
with the news in August. "I refuse to participate in a cover-up", he said
of the incident, "this is not representative of the principles that
govern the PublicRoot".
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INAIC employees Paul Scheepers and Herman Xennt.
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