Tributes flow for Les Allinson
Many tributes have been flowing at Les’s passing…
Raj Singh, from the Asia Pacific ISOC Chapter bureau pays tribute to his friend. Raj writes…
With great sadness, I advise the passing away of my good friend, co-conspirator, and long time ISOC member, Les Allinson.
Les spent a couple of decades working in the Pacific Islands, and with others, was instrumental in establishing and promoting Internet connectivity and ICTs in many Pacific Island economies. He spent many years working for inter-governmental regional organisations in the Pacific, including the Forum Fisheries Agency and SOPAC.
He helped initiate many capacity building initiatives, and also contributed to projects in other regions, including Southeast Asia and the Caribbean. A large part of his focus in the Pacific was technology transfer to the island economies, and building a pool of Pacific Islanders who had the ICT skills and knowledge to further development of the Pacific region.
He was a strong proponent of telecommunications deregulation and competition, and did much to push this in the Pacific Islands.
Les was a founding member of the Pacific Islands Chapter (PICISOC), and served on the executive as well, most recently as Treasurer. In the past, he was also the chapter’s representative to APRALO, part of ICANN’s At-Large. He also served as Vice-Chair of APRALO.
Les passed away in the care of family in Australia Saturday morning.
Les loved the sea and was an avid mariner. I spent many fine times with him at the Royal Suva Yacht Club, which we both frequented. This was also the location where we, in the company of willing others, put many conspiracies to rest, and created new ones.
Les was also a dear friend of my family and much loved and respected.
Fair winds and following seas, my friend, and long may your big jib draw!
Rajnesh Singh
rds@jugad.in
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Rajnesh D. Singh
Asia-Pacific Bureau
Internet Society
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Heidi Ullrich (ICANN)
On behalf of At-Large staff, I would like to express our deep condolences for the passing of Les. I remember his sense of humor and good nature. Kind regards,
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Charles Mok (Chair, APRALO)…
Sad to hear the news….. I still remember Les and I in the airport coming back Nairobi a couple years ago.
Peace be with him and his family….
Charles
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Babu Ram Aryal…
Heartfelt condolence from ISOC Nepal chapter.
President, ISOC Nepal
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Zaid Ali…
I had the honor of knowing Les for the last 15 years, he was also a business partner and also a good friend. When I started out as a young network administrator in Fiji Les was always there to encourage me. We fought the local telco monopoly together and he worked very hard in bringing Internet to small island nations in the south pacific. I will have many fond memories of Les including the TGIF he put together at SOPAC to bring network and sysadmins together building a great community of friends.
Farewell my good friend.
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Sivasubramanian M…
I feel sad to hear this news. Please convey my condolences to his family.
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Lynn St.Amour (Internet Society)…
This is indeed very sad! Les was well known and much appreciated by many. His contributions will be remembered for a long time.
Our thoughts are with him and his family.
Best regards,
Lynn
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Annalisa Roger…
I had the great pleasure to meet him. He was an early supporter of SFBayISOC. A man who has done much for people through information access, learning and sharing. Les Allison’s passing is a loss to the greater internet community. Condolences and best wishes to his family and colleagues and all those he has mentored and helped through his dedication to both internet technology and the people of the Pacific islands region.
Annalisa Roger
Vice-chair, SFBayISOC
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Edwin Liava’a…
Rest In Peace Les, a mentor, a brother and most of all a dear friend…
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Chaitanya Dhareshwar…
We (those here who at large never had a chance to meet Les) – have truly missed something. These past couple years have been known as years when the respected, loved, possibly the best people – the ‘stars’ of this planet – have moved on into the brighter world. Les was one of those people and this world is now just a little dimmer.
Rest in peace, you’ve done your part for technology, internet, the pacific islands, and more – and now we’ll carry the torch forward!
(on behalf of our PIC friends in India – though I’m sure we all share the sentiment)
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Rakesh Chand…
Its indeed, A great loss for the PICISOC community… It was always so nice to speak to him about account queries etc etc.
May his soul rest in peace! and condolences to his family & loved once!
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Pese Maatia…
So sad to hear of Les passing, indeed one of the pioneers of internet in the pacific. R.I.P Les.
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William Tibben…
Sorry to hear the news about Les’ passing. A pioneer of Internet in the Pacific. RIP
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Andrew Molivurae…
Thanks Wolf for the sad news. How sad to learn of his passing. He was one of the founding members of PICISOC and has been on the board as treasurer until 2009. The community will really miss Les.
Sorry tumas.
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Wolf Forstreuter…
A sad story, Les Allinson passed away, he was the treasury for several years and also presented PICISOC at the GIS&RS User Conference. Many of you will still know him.