Plenary Session Considers Straw Votes
By Vipramukhya Swami

CHAKRA (Mayapur, India) - February 11, 2001: The GBC Body met in a plenary session today to hear the presentation of the subcommittees, ask questions and give straw ballot votes. These votes will go back to the subcommittees for further consideration.

The way it works is like this. GBC members have either submitted their own proposals or sponsored proposals from devotees in their areas of responsibility. Those proposals were divided into general categories by the GBC secretariat office headed by Kalakantha Prabhu, and then given to six subcommittees.

The role of the subcommittees, as defined by GBC chairman Ravindra Svarupa, is to analyze the proposals in depth, and present the positive, negative and interesting points in concise format for the GBC members to consider. Ultimately it will be the final votes of the GBC members that will decide on the proposals.

What happened today (and what will continue tomorrow) is that the GBC members heard the proposals presented by the committee facilitators, and then considered the positive, negative and interesting points of each proposal. They then voted on special ballot sheets - pink for GBC members, blue for guests and deputies. Guests and deputies get to vote in straw votes, but only GBC members will vote in final votes.

So far the Philosophy Committee, co-facilitated by Hanuman Prabhu and myself, the Justice Committee, facilitated by Bhaktarupa Prabhu, the Preaching Committee facilitated by Giridhari Prabhu, and the Finance Committee facilitated by Tirtharaj Prabhu.

Since these were only straw votes today, and the result of those straw votes is not yet know, not much can be said about the conclusions.

Discussions about relocating the projects at Inis Rath Ireland and on the farm in Spain took place, though seemed inconclusive. More will be reported as the GBC body moves toward final votes.

© CHAKRA 12 February 2001

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