I was a little suprised to read this on Manx Radio's web site (which was a very long night as a result of train problems):
A pressure group is planning to invite one of the Manx government's fiercest critics to a public meeting.
Last night (Monday) the Positive Action Group heard Rushen MHK Juan Watterson describe the mechanics of the upcoming budget, which is being seen as one of the most important in recent history.
PAG chairman Roger Tomlinson then asked whether there would be an audience should Richard Murphy, whose taxresearch.org.uk website consistently attacks offshore jurisdictions and their tax systems, be invited to a meeting.
I'm told the answer was a very strong "yes" - because I've now had the invitation!
And yes - I am considering it.
But I admit the means of initial delivery did surprise me!
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You should go Richard
PAG — Good, honest people seeking real change on the Isle of Man.
Hello Mr Murphy, another item from the pages of Manx Radio. http://www.manxradio.com/newsread.aspx?id=49983 relates the use of Manx companies to defraud.
@Spoon of Internet
We (decent folk) should not get too excited about whom or what decides the “economic policies” of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man and what legislation is in place to “regulate” these policies.
Money talks and vested interest is all powerful.
But even in “secrecy jurisdictions” occasional unpleasantness leaks into the public domain.
I second the original comment here, although the P.A.G. meetings are public and so there may well be some at such a meeting who are not “Good, honest people” and who will most certainly not be “seeking real change on the Isle of Man”.
I hope Richard is able to attend.
We have a General Election in September. Maybe there is a chance for Mr Murphy to become Chief Minister here, as well as in Jersey!
@Chris
Chief Minister twice over – now there’s a challenge!
I would be interested to hear your views with the option to have a question and answer afterwards. Plan B that you have mentioned for Jersey is for total openness, the IOM has just signed the 22nd tax sharing agreement, can you advise where this differs from your plan B, bearing in mind that you can’t just open the floodgates to any request, there needs to be legislation and Data protection taken into consideration.
@Rodger
Read this http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Documents/InfoEx0609.pdf
tax information exchange agreements allow a tax authority to ask for what they already know
They have given rise to no meaningful information exchange at all
They are political whitewash
They are as far from Plan B as I am from the moon
Read both and you’ll see no debate is needed
Richard, this concerns me:-
1. Full name of person about whom data is being supplied and their:
a. Date of birth;
b. Gender;
c. Passport number;
d. Residential address;
e. Tax identification number (if known);
f. Previous names (if known).
This data if lost, stolen or sold by a Government would allow for the person to have their identity stolen, I would be dubious about allowing the UK Government having access to this with their lost data record, which hits the headlines! Let alone a less well regulated and dubious server secure country or Government, there have been cyber attacks by Governments at Governments which can crash the systems. There is a lot of money in identity theft!
@Rodger
a) All this data is already on public databases
b) All the evidence is that if this data is lost it is your bank that will lose it
I’m sorry – this is a ridiculous objection
On this basis you’re saying you want no tax to be charged – at least on a personal basis
And that’s absurd
@Chris February 3rd,
Agreed. And to invite current members of the Isle of Man House of Keys (MHKs) to attend PAG meeting as “guest speakers” may be welcoming people with a separate agenda regarding regime change.
The Isle of Man (Jersey, Guernsey) finance industry, and its lapdog government, has a big bucks P.R. budget which is used to (attempt to) convince “outsiders” how lovely the island is…
And to brainwash the local population, not involved in the industry, into a similar view.
This propaganda machine has to be dismantled before any real progress can be made; and the PSG knows of at least three hundred people who would support Mr. Murphy for Chief Minister.
Unfortunately none of them have a vote on the island.
@Richard Murphy
Richard,
You are saying that all my data is on public databases. Public meaning Government! They are kept seperately by departments and there is a firewall to stop the data going without a fight!
IF this data is given to another Government who are not as good at keeping the data secure, either from external attacks or from those internally who know the value of the data, then you have a big problem!
If you are happy with this data being in the public domain, please post all your data (a-e)on your blog!
@Rodger
I presume you are trying to be deliberately choose. Public does not mean accessible. It means government. and the data will be supplied from one tax authority to another, and rightly so to ensure that those seeking to undertake criminal acts are prevented from doing so. I believe that is a social virtue of considerable value. You obviously support criminality. Good for you. I hope you are caught if that is the case.
But let’s not be stupid. No one is asking this information to be put into the public domain for anyone to use for the purposes of identity theft and you are deliberately setting up an entirely false strawman by claiming that that will be the case.
So, very politely, please go and cast your absurd aspersions somewhere else.