.
Although I’ve posted many derogatory posts concerning the IKO over many years, I haven’t checked out their programs for over a year so I can’t say that they haven’t improved or perhaps even corrected what I found most objectionable (although I doubt it).
However, kiwimike you should be glad you’re not in the US. I don’t know what the civil liability laws are in Thailand, but in the US, you’d be
TOAST even if you could prove you’ve been defrauded. I won’t list the various causes of action that I think the IKO could establish, but they go far beyond mere defamation (which you could defeat if you could PROVE the truth of your accusations).
I believe that the true and most nefarious purpose underlying virtually all orgs is the desire to be positioned such that they can provide “certifications” and/or “insurance” on a
CONTINUING basis for ALL kiters because local authorities will
REQUIRE one or both items in order to kite.
Obviously, as a business model, succeeding in this regard puts one on the delicious gravy train of an ENDLESS, perpetually increasing, income stream.
It also means that an org with the above goal is motivated to
CONVINCE authorities that kiting is DANGEROUS and that the authority needs the org to help regulate the dangerous activity. The most blatant example of this occurred a few years ago when an IKO minion put together a video of kiting accidents and showed it to Canadian authorities in a failed attempt to effectively control kiting in Canada.
Without studying the thread in detail, I suspect that kiwimike has started a new COMPETITIVE org, kitesafeassociation, and
like the other OBJECTIONABLE orgs has attempted to get his foot in the door by offering “instructor’s licenses” in
direct COMPETITION with the IKO.
Anyone with any degree of perception can start to understand why his attack concentrates excessively on his alleged being defrauded by the IKO rather than the real problem of orgs as described above.
The FACT is that it is IMPOSSIBLE to “certify” instructors, except POSSIBLY on a very local basis because conditions, including legal and socialogical conditions, vary too dramatically around the globe.
“Certifying” instructors is simply a first step towards “certifying” ALL KITERS.
Richard M.
Malibu Kitesurfing - since 2002
(310) - 430 - KITE (5483)
http://www.MalibuKitesurfing.NET
kfRichard@MalibuKitesurfing.NET