“The Board of Directors of ISKCON New Raman Reti shall select a devotee to serve as GBC for the community and attend the annual meeting of the GBC in Mayapur.”

— HOW THEY WANT IT
Florida devotees want local representation

Florida devotees in Alachua, near Gainesville, want their own GBC, not someone from outside. They will elect someone to represent them on the GBC Body, and they hope their candidate will be accepted by the GBC Body in Mayapur. CHAKRA has received the following article, stating their position.

REFORM PROPOSAL BY THE ALACHUA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

To: ISKCON North America Executive Committee

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

The Board of Directors of ISKCON of Alachua requests the ISKCON North America Executive Committee to consider the idea of locally selected GBC representation. We believe that, although this idea may not be applicable or prudent everywhere in ISKCON at this time, it is a worthy idea for consideration and may help to restore faith in the GBC body. In November, 1999, the Board of Directors of ISKCON of Alachua passed the following resolution:

"-Whereas New Raman Reti (Alachua, FL) is the largest ISKCON community in the West; -Whereas the community leaders feel a strong need to communicate more effectively with the GBC body; -Whereas the NRR community members, at a public meeting convened to discuss the matter, concluded that more direct representation is preferable;

“It is hereby resolved that: Beginning in the year 2000, the Board of Directors of ISKCON New Raman Reti shall select a devotee to serve as GBC for the community and attend the annual meeting of the GBC in Mayapur. Although it hopes that the representative will have the fullest possible degree of participation with the GBC body, the Board understands that the GBC body will determine whether the representative may vote, be on COM, etc.

“The Board gratefully acknowledges Sesa prabhu's endorsement of this proposal and his willingness to continue to serve as interim GBC representative until this arrangement is fully confirmed."

Dr. Burke Rochford, after surveying the followers of Srila Prabhupada, wrote in the ISKCON Communications Journal (June, 1999) that there is a "striking lack of trust between ISKCON members and the movement's leadership". He further described "it is clear that many ISKCON members...and former members alike place minimal trust in ISKCON's leadership..." He cited a lack of responsiveness from leaders, who are perceived to be out of touch with the needs and lives of the average member of ISKCON. Rochford wrote "...many felt that the GBC had little real relevance to their lives as devotees," and referred to "a decline in GBC authority". He went on to assert "A sizable percentage of ISKCON's congregational members believed that a representational form of government would help broaden the variety of viewpoints found on the GBC."

We know that you are fully aware of the situation described by Rochford. We ask that you seriously consider the idea of locally selected GBCs as a component in the rectification of the situation. Thank you for your attention in this matter. Hare Krsna.

Your servants on the New Raman-reti Board of Directors,

Nanda dasi (Temple President), Nagaraja dasa (Secretary), Raghupati Pran dasa, Sukhada dasi, Kesihanta dasa, Isvara Puri dasa (Temple Vice-president), Dhira Govinda dasa (Chairman)

© CHAKRA 28-May-2000

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