…Papers
Remember the “Panama Papers” that blew the lid on how the rich, the famous and the not so famous (but rich) hide their money from the taxman?? Yep…they included the Queen of England, who everyone knows has more money that King Midas, so one wonders why she chose to hide some. If you thought the notoriety might’ve scared off the money-secreters, you thought wrong!!
The just-released “Pandora Papers” by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) – which dwarf the Panama Papers! – show that the practice has gotten even bigger. The top ten countries with tax dodgers, in descending order, are Russia, UK, Argentina, China (yes, China!), Brazil, Ukraine, Venezuela, Cyprus, Italy and Guatemala. Some big names netted include some 160 public figures, including Ex-PM Tony Blair of England’s Labour Party fame, the King of Jordan, Czech PM, friends and cronies of Russian President Putin, and the President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenya.
The latter is particularly interesting for us ex-colonies of the British Empire – who were supposed to have been tutored by our erstwhile masters to keep up their standards. Well, since their standards includes hiding income and assets, it would seem that Kenya took their lessons seriously. From what their media is playing up, the hiding started early in the day…by none other than Uhuru’s father and “father of the nation”, Jomo Kenyatta.
Not many know that the latter adopted that name to show his militancy against the Brits – it means “Burning Spear”, and must’ve inspired the Reggae group of the same name!
Anyhow, the western press is highlighting what’s long been known; that after independence in 1963, Jomo transferred large swathes of land to himself and his Deputy Moi, who succeeded him. The details of Jomo’s acquisitions have never been revealed, even though there was an investigation. They didn’t want to stain his name. His children, however, parlayed their inheritance into a wide assortment of investments, ranging from hotels to posh homes in fashionable London.
Uhuru threw his hat into the political ring after Moi sponsored him for the Kenyatta sheen.
Investigations showed Moi pilfered and stashed away some US$2B! Even the Queen of England should’ve been proud!! The problem for Uhuru – who’ll be visiting Guyana – is that the western press is making a big deal that he got into office by pushing transparency in government. But his name in the Pandora Papers shouldn’t raise eyebrows. Just look at the biggest names in the biggest democracies in whose company he’s in. And more germanely, the US and UK provide most of the facilities for hiding the loot!! If the practice is so bad…why facilitate it?
How much tax does Apple Pay??
…Box for Guyana
You do remember the story of Pandora’s Box, don’t you, dear reader? She was the first woman created by the Greek Gods, and she was given a box which she was warned never to open. But curiosity got the better of her, and when she opened the box, all the travails that the Gods had locked away escaped to beset masking from then onwards. Only hope remained.
Looking at where we are in Guyana today, it would seem that we were given a box that we weren’t supposed to open when we got independence. And that box contained all the destructive forces that would descend on us if we were to stray from the path of democracy. But Burnham did open that box, and we still haven’t recovered. And because his successors insist on following in his footsteps and trampling on democratic norms, any recovery is always precarious.
But hope remains. And with the PPP once again taking the reins of Government, we must keep hope alive.
…and her gifts
“Pandora” means “the one who bears all gifts”, and you’d have to agree that our country could well be a “Pandora”. We’re so blessed with resources.
If only the PNC could practise democracy, imagine where we could be in a decade.
