Oxfam Backs Tax On Currency Deals To Help Poor
British-based Charity Oxfam has called on G20 countries (ledende industrilande) to impose a tax on currency (valuta) transactions to help developing countries to the tune of 30 billion US dollar (ca. 156 milliarder DKR) annually.
The global aid agency made the proposal in a paper entitled: “Money for Nothing: Three ways the G20 could deliver up to 280 billion dollar for poor countries”. Its publication coincided with a meeting in London this week of finance ministers from the G20 nations.
Oxfam said the levy (afgift), also known as a Tobin tax, was one of several measures leaders could take to relieve poverty which would not hit taxpayers. Others include reforming tax havens and reallocating International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout cash.
– Rich countries that spent 18 trillion dollar bailing out banks should not be allowed to plead tight budgets as an excuse for failing to help poor people, especially when there are alternative sources of funding available that would cost them little or nothing, said Oxfam Senior Policy Advisor Max Lawson.
Money for poor countries is “desperately needed” as the global financial crisis has caused job losses due to falling trade and capital flows, campaigners said
Lawson added: – The beauty of these proposals is that they allow the G20 to bail out poor people without asking ordinary taxpayers at home to put their hands in their pockets.
Kilde: www.worldbank.org
