C.A.S.I. REPRESENTATIVE'S REPORT - FROM DON CAMERON - Dec 1999

CASI continues to resemble a hybrid of the Supreme Soviet and the hereditary House of Lords. It works, up to a point, but is badly in need of democratic reform. The president of CASI, an aeromodeller unknown to balloonists and certainly not elected by them, has the right to overrule the elected delegates of the International Ballooning Commission on matters which need concern only balloon sport. It is a nonsense.

In March 1999, following a proposal by Jean-Claude Weber, the CIA decided that we would not be represented at CASI. I was instructed to make proposals to CASI concerning appeals and record claim time limits. This was done in a letter of 31 March 1999 to Sandy Pimenoff (an aeromodeller), who is President of CASI, together with comments on Ian Strachan's proposals for General Section changes (attached). On 11 May Jean-Claude Weber, CIA President proposed an alternative to a General Section change, suggesting that it simply be the informal practice that CASI appoint ballooning tribunals from CIA delegates and that the appeal be held at the CIA meeting.

A meeting of CASI took place on 26 May 1999 in Lausanne. Jean-Claude Weber and I did not attend in accordance with CIA policy. Items from the minutes are as follows:

1. In the opening remarks it was regretted that the CIA had decided not to participate.

3. The results of the balloon appeal tribunal of the previous year were noted.

9. At the point in the agenda where CIA proposals were to come up, it is recorded "CASI decided that as long as CIA does not participate in CASI meetings their proposals can not be properly dealt with." In fact, it did not deal with them at all.

The second meeting of the year took place on 20 and 22 October 1999. Points of interest were:

1. It was again regretted that the CIA had withdrawn (although Jean-Claude Weber did attend and participate in his capacity as Luxembourg delegate).

5. Although an entry appears entitled "Streamlining of Tribunal Procedures" there is no mention of the CIA motion nor the compromise proposed by Jean-Claude Weber.

CONCLUSION: We remain in the position where a substantial part of the regulation governing ballooning is in the hands of CASI when it would be more appropriately dealt with by the CIA. Nevertheless, despite this unsatisfactory constitution, there are no major problems at present which have practical effects. In my opinion the best policy will be to avoid confrontation unless CASI produces a decision which causes real difficulties for our members.