Tax Haven Toolkit
No, it’s not a DIY guide to looting your country’s wealth but an activists kit to present the case for Tax Justice to folk in your own community. When a swimming pool or library shuts, public sector staff are laid off, or a vital service is axed, you can bet your bottom dollar that offshore tax havens are partly responsible. On a global scale they suck a monumental $21 trillion out of national economies and deposit them in bogus countries or dependencies such as the Channel Islands which only exist to defraud the rest of humanity. A future Scotland has to either end this tax injustice or our collective vision for a better Scotland will be undermined by the usual suspects in the financial sector. If any of you Bella readers give the Tax Haven Toolkit a go – and why not – let us know how you got on. Educate, agitate , organise!
HOW IT WORKS
Some tax justice activists in the UK have put together what they call the Tax Haven Toolkit, offering “everything you need to run meetings, workshops, presentations and discussion groups about tax justice.”
We like it, a lot. The toolkit contains:
- An easy-to use 30 minute PowerPoint presentation (with guidance notes for the presenter
- Three Audio clips
- A printable handout including:
- Introduction and questions for further discussion
- A crib sheet: Countering the Arguments
- A List of further resources
And here is an edited short section from the presentation, giving you an idea of how you might use this toolkit.
It is up to you how you want to use the toolkit; the PowerPoint presentation and related discussion activities. However, we recommend that you try to make the session as interactive as possible. This will work best if you have at least 1 hour for your session.
Materials:
- A willing group
- A venue with computer facilities, speakers and preferably a large screen
- A printer and some paper
- A voice and buckets of enthusiasm
Preparation
There is no need to become an expert to deliver the presentation – just download and print out the slides, notes and guidelines and make sure you feel comfortable with the content.
This has been developed as a tool to accompany TJN’s own Tackle Tax Havens website.
With gratitude and respect to Tax Justice Network blog.
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You should also check out the Taxcast, a surprisingly entertaining monthly podcast about Tax Justice produced by Naomi Fowler. They are up for an award at the moment, check it out!
http://www.tackletaxhavens.com/taxcast/
This book is a must, on the subject of tax havens and the men who stole the world. Even asking about their account can land you in the slammer and the cash automatically transferred to another country.
“Treasure Islands” by Nick Shaxson.