Good Governance and Self regulation

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[size=6]JUST WHO ARE `THE PEOPLE?’

[/size]* Democratic organizations usually attempt to uphold the principle of “Government of the people, by the people, for the people.” In most cases this principle makes sense, but things become complicated when it comes to self-regulating professions.

   Under self-regulation, a profession (such as lawyers,        accountants, doctors, nurses, engineers, architects) is delegated by        government the power to regulate itself.  The profession elects a        governing body (Board or Council) to oversee the regulatory process and        ensure that the public is protected from poor or unethical practice.         To ensure public representation, government may appoint public members to        the profession’s governing body.


   The premise of self-regulation is that professionals are        best qualified to establish their own regulatory framework.  By way        of comparison, in jurisdictions where self-regulation does not exist,        government appoints a regulatory board, with the unilateral powers to        collect licensing fees and regulate and discipline the members of the        designated profession.  
   The governing body of a self-regulatory body sets        licensing requirements, standards of practice, code of conduct, processes        of inquiry and discipline, and regulatory bylaws and policies.  Some        jurisdictions place decision-making in the hands of the governing body,        but others require that bylaws and/or regulations be voted on at an annual        membership meeting.  
   The primary goal of regulation (whether by an appointed        government agency or by a governing body elected by the profession itself)        is to ***protect the public,*** by promoting good        practice, preventing bad practice, and intervening when practice is        unacceptable.


   Self-regulation is a challenging concept.  It means        that members of a profession will impose administrative and financial        hardships on themselves, in order to protect the public from incompetence        or from unprofessional or unethical conduct.  The greatest challenge        of self regulation is to balance two potentially        competing or conflicting interests: On one side is the public’s        need for protection from bad practices.  On the other side are the        economic needs of professionals and their usual preference for full and unfettered autonomy.


   Sadly, many members of self-regulating professions, and        sometimes their own governing bodies, develop misguided expectations about        the role of their organizations.  The most typical expectation is:        “*We, the members of the profession, pay dues, and we also elect our        board, so this must mean that the board is accountable to us and must do        as we say.”* In fact, the organization’s primary accountability is to        the government that permits self-regulation.


   If accountability to the profession were to apply at        all, it would require professionals to be reliably and consistently        capable of placing the public interest ahead of their own.  In many        instances this is not the case.  Indeed, it is naïve to expect        members of a profession, gathered at an annual meeting, to be genuinely        devoid of self interest, and truly accept that the duty of a        self-regulatory body is first and foremost to the public that it is        mandated to protect. 



   Is it then logical to put regulatory decisions in front        of the members at an annual meeting for a binding vote?  Is it        sensible to give them the right to vote on whether extra dues would be        levied to address a complex regulatory climate, with increasing inquiries        and lawsuits?  One might wish that the answer to these questions        would always be a resounding yes, but it often isn’t. 



   Interestingly, despite this reality, the legislation or        bylaws of some regulatory bodies place regulatory decisions in the hands        of the members at an annual meeting, when votes may be driven more by        emotion and self interest than by pure consideration of the public        interest.
   In light of the above discussion, how should one define        democracy in a self-regulatory body?  Can it remain as “*Government of the people, by the people, for the        people?” *Perhaps, but only if the `*the        people’* will vary within the same sentence, i.e. self        regulation is: **”G*overnance of the        profession, by the profession, for the        public**”**** (and not `for the        profession’).*

** Here’s everything you need to know about Raymond Wand:**** Raymond’s Embarrassing Track Record:**

  1. Raymond Wand was once the Chair of OAHI’s Ethics Committee: But Raymond was booted off because of unethical behavior. I won’t go into the details because the police are still investigating and charges might be laid. :oops:

  2. Raymond Wand ran for a position on the OAHI Board and lost by a landslide because the membership see him as someone without any ethics or credibility. :oops:

  3. Raymond Wand has lied to OAHI about being retired for the past two years. :oops:

  4. Raymond Wand misrepresents himself on his web site by claiming he is an RHI when in fact he is not. :oops:

  5. Raymond Wand complains daily about how bad OAHI and CAHPI is but is now begging them to have his Retired RHI status upgrade to full RHI. Can you say hypocritical? :oops:

  6. Raymond Wand and his sidekick Roy Cooke Sr are instrumental in preventing NACHI members from getting the right information they want and need about the national certification program. :oops:

  7. Raymond Wand has posted under no less than 10 false names and is presently posting under at least three. :oops:

  8. Raymond Wand flipped out and threw a major hissy fit when he couldn’t get his way with Nick and quit NACHI and immediately started attacking NACHI on the InspectorNews BB. :|.):oops:
    Raymond Wand, Record Holder:

  9. Raymond Wand is one of only two people ever to be removed from a committee in OAHI in its very long history. :oops:

  10. Raymond Wand holds the record for most complaint against a member in OAHI. :oops:

  11. Raymond Wand holds the record for being suspended from the OAHI BB more times than any other person in OAHI’s history. :oops:

  12. Raymond Wand was the first person given a LIFETIME BAN from the Canuck BB, and is only one of three ever kicked off that BB. Roy Cooke Sr was the second one banned. :oops:
    Basically, Raymond Wand is a frigging embarrassment of monumental proportion to NACHI and the home inspection industry. His mum must be proud of her little girl. :|.) :oops:

:wink:

Norm has given us an impressive list of your real acomplisments Raymond. Now take your medication and nap.

Thanks Dave!

** Here’s everything you need to know about Raymond Wand:**** Raymond’s Embarrassing Track Record:**

  1. Raymond Wand was once the Chair of OAHI’s Ethics Committee: But Raymond was booted off because of unethical behavior. I won’t go into the details because the police are still investigating and charges might be laid. :oops:

  2. Raymond Wand ran for a position on the OAHI Board and lost by a landslide because the membership see him as someone without any ethics or credibility. :oops:

  3. Raymond Wand has lied to OAHI about being retired for the past two years. :oops:

  4. Raymond Wand misrepresents himself on his web site by claiming he is an RHI when in fact he is not. :oops:

  5. Raymond Wand complains daily about how bad OAHI and CAHPI is but is now begging them to have his Retired RHI status upgrade to full RHI. Can you say hypocritical? :oops:

  6. Raymond Wand and his sidekick Roy Cooke Sr are instrumental in preventing NACHI members from getting the right information they want and need about the national certification program. :oops:

  7. Raymond Wand has posted under no less than 10 false names and is presently posting under at least three. :oops:

  8. Raymond Wand flipped out and threw a major hissy fit when he couldn’t get his way with Nick and quit NACHI and immediately started attacking NACHI on the InspectorNews BB. :|.):oops:
    Raymond Wand, Record Holder:

  9. Raymond Wand is one of only two people ever to be removed from a committee in OAHI in its very long history. :oops:

  10. Raymond Wand holds the record for most complaint against a member in OAHI. :oops:

  11. Raymond Wand holds the record for being suspended from the OAHI BB more times than any other person in OAHI’s history. :oops:

  12. Raymond Wand was the first person given a LIFETIME BAN from the Canuck BB, and is only one of three ever kicked off that BB. Roy Cooke Sr was the second one banned. :oops:
    Basically, Raymond Wand is a frigging embarrassment of monumental proportion to NACHI and the home inspection industry. His mum must be proud of her little girl. :|.) :oops:

Dave