Government want domain back!!

[fandie]

Hi

I own the domain name alofi.nu

I posted about this in a thread earlier on, It looks like the government want this domain back now, What can i do in this intance, Do they have a right to the domain,

Here is the quote in the email from them

Dear Gracie,



Firstly, thank you for informing Niue that you hold the alofi.nu name and informing Niue if we are interested in having the alofi.nu name.



The Minister for Telecommunication and ICT, who is the chair of the Niue ICT Development Council (NiDC) has expressed interest of getting this name returned to Niue and this _expression is unanimously supported by the NiDC.



The NiDC is to communicate this to you. If we have not done so, (based on this latest e-mail from you), then please consider this e-mail as our _expression of interest of attaining the alofi.nu name.



I look forward to hearing from you.



Best Regards,





Richard Hipa

Deputy Chair

NiDC.




Anyone know where i stand?

Thanks

Kerr

 

[clocker24]

I'm puzzled. Mr. Hipa's email says, "Firstly, thank you for informing Niue that you hold the alofi.nu name..."

This would seem to indicate that you contacted them to see if they were interested in purchasing the domain. They have replied that they are indeed interested in acquiring the domain.

So what's the problem? Quote them a price and make a deal.

 

[fandie]

Does it not sound like they would want to take the domain off me like a wipo decision?

 

[Domagon]

Sounds like they want it for free - and from their viewpoint, that's a reasonable request, since .NU is their namespace.

Based on what you wrote, it sounds like you tried selling it to the Niue government ...

Approaching any government of the related ccTLD, including .US, to sell them a domain in "their" namespace is asking for trouble...

Most people who buy ccTLD domains don't truly understand who controls them ... it's typically the respective country / territory to whom its assigned to - they ultimately call the shots on various things; can take domains back - it's happened numerous times in many different ccTLDs, including .US.

My suggestion, unless you like taking some risk, is to drop the matter completely with the Nuie government - either not reply back or do so with a terse response to the effect you have chosen to keep and utilize the domain.

Ron

 

[Marck]

They sound like they're friendly (for now), but I'm not sure if they understand the domain has a price tag attached to it.

 

[Kate]

Alofi is the capital city of the Pacific Ocean nation of Niue. It has a population of 614 (census of 2001). It consists of the two villages Alofi North (pop. 256) and Alofi South, where the government headquarters are located (pop. 358)...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alofi

Did you contact the government ?
I suggest that you read the terms governing the TLD carefully.
Many ccTLDs have provisions for reserving domains or taking certain domains back.
City names may be considered 'sensitive'. Good luck.

 

[RogueWriter]

That letter simply said, "Hey, we are interested in your proposal."

If you actually approached them, then I would read that as a good thing, and send a reasonable price over to them.

If you did not propose this to them, I suppose that's when you need to get worried. I suppose you would also need to confirm that it isn't someone simply trying to scam you out of the domain.

 

[IAmAllanShore]

Population of 614, yet you registered it?

Well, their email does not sound hostile, but it sounds like they might expect it for "free" based on your previous message to them - any chance you could post your original email so we have context here?

-Allan

 

[biohammer]

Tactfully word your reply letter and see if they are able to compensate you and if they reply no then kind ask them if they will reimburse you for the registration fees. worst case they take back the domain right? not much to lose.

 

[Ronald Regging]

I agree with Allen. It sounds like they are receptive to acquiring the domain, but without knowing what your original letter said, it's impossible to put this into context.

 

[Achaias]

Yeah seeing that original copy would be great. It would be nice to know if you set a price in there, maybe I missed that in an earlier post. Either way be polite with governments no matter how small, they could just take it without asking .

 

[fandie]

Can they take a domain name just like that if they want to?

Does that mean the government in the uk could take London.co.uk if they wanted to?

 

[Ronald Regging]

Can they take a domain name just like that if they want to?

Does that mean the government in the uk could take London.co.uk if they wanted to?

Governments usually retain some sort of right to claim ownership over anything within their jurisdiction. In the US, we have a law that states that if they do take something, they have to compensate you with a fair market value. So in essence, the government can take your home and land on a whim, but they have to pay you a fair rate for it.

I'm unaware of the law in other countries, perhaps they can confiscate property without even compensating the owner in some. But, as others have said, if something falls under their "space", they pretty much have the final word on it.

 

[Daniel]

They just have over 600 population. They don't sound like the people who are able to spend large amounts on a domain.

Send them it at an under valued price, say Low $XXX, and see if they take it. Better than them taking it back for free.

 

[jberryhill]

Population of 614, yet you registered it?

That's pretty much the mind-blower here. We're talking about a tiny village here in a speck of a country with no significant economy.



The economy of Niue is heavily dependent on aid from New Zealand. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall is made up by grants from New Zealand which are used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut government expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half.

The agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening, [...]

Another source of income lately has been the sale of Internet domain names under the NU top level domain, which are particularly popular in Scandinavia, Belgium and the Netherlands, since nu means "now" in the Scandinavian languages and Dutch.


So, yeah... they entered into a contract some years ago because someone approached them about an asset they did not know they had nor appreciated (the .nu TLD), and the .nu registry is run by a private company in the US.

It's good to know there are still indigenous people left in this world who have something worth screwing them over for.

If they want the domain name, make 'em take out second mortgages on their grass huts.

 

[Jasdon]

It's good to know there are still indigenous people left in this world who have something worth screwing them over for.

I nearly just pissed myself....

 

[AdoptableDomains]

I think I'd offer to let them have it at maybe 2-10 times reg fee. They may live modestly, but I'm pretty sure they get a commission on any other .nu registrations sold which could be diverted for the acquisition. Any more and they probably won't be able to afford it based on use, and if they don't buy it, what good is it. A reasonable profit is better than no profit and bad PR. You price too high and you may spend more on renewals than you could ever get out of it.

Maybe you could even get creative. Offer to turn it over for free in exchange for x number of .nu registrations that may have some real keyword value. They might be able to pull some strings if they didn't sell the TLD use without an remaining power. Sometimes money isn't the only thing others have to offer.

 

[Ronald Regging]

I think I'd offer to let them have it at maybe 2-10 times reg fee. They may live modestly, but I'm pretty sure they get a commission on any other .nu registrations sold which could be diverted for the acquisition.

They had to cut public services by 50%, because they don't have money. These public services more than likely include important things like health care. So while diverting income from .nu to pay for the cost of another .nu domain seems logical on the surface, some poor bastard is still going to have to die unnecessarily because of it...

With this new information, I'd personally have to say to just give them the domain, unless you're (the OP) trying to secure that eternal vacation spot in Hell...

 

[Michael]

If they want the domain name, make 'em take out second mortgages on their grass huts.

Very well said.

 

[labrocca]

JBerryHill just ownd you.