REGIONALIZATION IN ROTARY CONTEXT
(This is not a Rotary International point of view)
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The concept of a Rotary Region
According to most definitions, the Region is a territorial area that is a unitary whole, so that generally valid assessments can be made of it as a whole.
One of the reasons for dividing into new territorial units is the need to facilitate the analysis of information (both by reducing their volume and by increasing the possibility of observing certain trends or interdependence in a certain territorial area). A second reason is the need to implement Rotary policies and programs as effectively as possible.
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How Rotary Territorial Units Develop
The likely criteria to be considered in assessing the level of development of a Rotary unit appear to be the following:
• Membership criterion - aims to increase the number of Rotary members in the territorial unit
• Material criterion - the amount of income from contributions, donations, etc.
• Structural criterion - refers to the changes that take place in the structure of activities carried out in a territorial unit.
The territorial definition of a region should not be confused with the notion of regionalization, which refers to the establishment of a new level of governance in the territorial structure of an entity, accompanied by the creation of new regional institutions, along with the transfer of administrative powers.
Corresponding to this definition, the characteristics of the types of models resulting from the SRF regionalization proposal can be identified:
a. Legislative power remains at the level of RI through the Legislative Council (primary legislation, MOP), secondary legislation (RI Board, GS)
b. The new territorial units come both from the aggregation of some structures (Clubs into Sections) and from the disaggregation of others (RI in Regions), from the point of view of the transfer of competences. In addition, it is still unclear what is happening with the District level, the impact of its possible disaggregation seeming insufficiently evaluated in terms of history, traditions, etc.
c. The new territorial units are invested with decision-making powers having the presidents of the governing councils (Sections leaders and RIDs - normally leaders of the Regional Councils) elected;
d. The new territorial units are invested with decision-making powers with governing boards set up by their nomination by the leaders of the Sections and Regions
Note: A possible scenario could be to assimilate the Sections with the adjusted territories of the current Assistant Governors and the Regions with the current Zones.
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