[pp.int.general] PPI statutes task force

[W Tovey]

I would like to make something clear about the nature of the Statutes 
being discussed. My understanding is as follows;

- These Statutes are for PPI and are legally required (eventually) for 
it to be an official organisation.
- PPI is aiming to be a support organisation for the global Pirate 
movement; helping new parties form and helping existing parties work 
together for the common cause.
- PPI will be controlled by its members. The members will be the pirate 
parties *not* the individual pirates. [What to do about "fork" parties 
etc. will likely be covered in the statutes.]
- The text of the statutes will apply to PPI and to PPI only.
- The statutes are the set of "legal rules" for how the organisation 
operates (something that most organisations require). It will contain 
things like the name, objectives, how membership works (including any 
"conditions of membership"), the structure, how voting etc. works, how 
the financial side works, and the technical stuff about how the statutes 
can be amended and how (if needed, although we hope this won't be the 
case) the organisation can be dissolved. There may be a couple of things 
that I have missed, but I think that's the general idea.
- The statutes are not a "manifesto". It will (in my opinion) not 
contain any policy statements (say about "reforming copyright" or 
"promoting personal privacy").
- PPI does not have, nor does it want any power or control over its 
members. Pirates control their party directly (depending on how the 
party works), the parties control PPI directly (or will, once we have a 
framework to do so).

I see PPI more as a "members club" for pirate parties, rather than some 
"global political group". As has been mentioned elsewhere, there is no 
place where anyone can "vote for PPI". Having a large, controlling PPI 
just adds an extra layer of bureaucracy to the pirate movement; 
something that is probably best avoided. This also becomes relevant when 
funding is discussed; it has been mentioned that there is no need for 
PPI to resort to corporate/anonymous funding when it could raise funds 
from the thousands or millions of pirates around the world; however it 
is important to remember that every cent (or equivalent) that goes from 
a pirate to PPI is not going to their own Pirate Party. Due to its 
nature, PPI can accept funding that individual parties can't, therefore 
(in my opinion) it should; provided that the funding does not come with 
any 'catches' or requirements that would negatively affect the movement.

Anyway, those are just a few of my thoughts on the matter; obviously, 
while I am a member of the Coreteam, I will work with the wishes and 
decisions of member parties. PPI (and the Coreteam), in my view, exist 
to serve the Pirate Parties.

Will Tovey
CAO, Pirate Parties International