Sunday, September 27, 2009
Switzerland, UBS, the OECD's Grey List, Roman Polanski and Guantanamo
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Vuelta a Espana: Luxembourg's Andy and Frank Schleck and the Tour of Spain in Hindsight
The Vuelta was slightly disappointing I would say. But nothing terrible either. In particular, following the career of both Schleck brothers from the US is not always possible in real time.
Of course it is some disappointment and also somewhat worrying to have seen them drop out for health reasons. But it seems that both will be fine. We look forward seeing them in the future.
The Vuelta itself had some major flaws, which makes it only a very junior member in the family of Tours. At least that seems to be the public perception, that it is a minor event. Why? Probably because it was late in the season, the field of champions was small, the first stages in Holland may have seemed awkward and disruptive for everyone.
I believe that for worldwide recognition, the Vuelta is not well covered by the international Press. This could be the number one urgent issue that needs to be addressed.
Before the Vuelta, I shared on this blog places that were accessible online such as:
http://cyclingfans.com/live_race_coverage
and
http://www.universalsports.com/mediaPlayer/media.dbml?id=365052&catid=-2&sid=13044&db_oem_id=23000
with live streaming video.
Universal Sports' streaming video was of good quality. But how many people could access it? After a couple of days, their reporting was no longer available for free and they charged for internet access. In my view this was a disservice to the Vuelta, to themselves and to the riders who live from being well known. Viewers here just dropped out.
Whereas by now it should be known that cycling is a sport that thrives on free access, mass recognition and support by the public which motivates the sponsors to be there with their deep pockets, the most fatal error the organizers can make is to cut out free access. And that's certainly true for their presence on the internet, which cherishes a culture of "free".
Where were you, Versus!?
Egide Thein
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
WHOIZZIT: New US Ambassador to Luxembourg and Call me Madam
By Robert E. Tomasson
Published: Wednesday, May 2, 1990
IRVING BERLIN wrote the words and music to ''Call Me Madam,'' the musical based on President HARRY S. TRUMAN'S appointment of PERLE MESTA as Ambassador to Luxembourg, in his five-story town house at 17 Beekman Place in Manhattan. Forty years ago, ''Call Me Madam'' opened on Broadway. Yesterday, the Government of Luxembourg bought the building, where the composer died on Sept. 12 at the age of 101.
The house was built in 1930 by JAMES V. FORRESTAL, who lived there until 1946, when Mr. Berlin bought it, and who later became the first Secretary of Defense. It will be used for offices for Luxembourg's Consulate and its Mission to the United Nations, said EGIDE THEIN, Luxembourg's Consul General in New York. The price was $5.7 million.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Switzerland: Swiss set for flood of UBS cases after US deal.
www.ft.com/ubs
Not surprising. Didn't UBS expect this? Didn't the Swiss Government expect this? I hope no one was naive to the point of not expecting any kind of reaction on behalf of the duped customers.
How justice will be served in Switzerland, will be the next question. If internationally it is perceived to be too soft on UBS, it will be labeled as biased. The world will draw the conclusion that Swiss banks don't protect their customers. If ever that conclusion is not yet drawn.
If the outcome is viewed as just right, meaning it seriously repairs the customers' prejudice, it risks to bankrupt UBS or at least its reputation or what is left.
This is without talking about the other threat, that probably needs some time to develop, legal action from the duped clients in the US. I touched a word in my post of July 13, 2009.
http://egidethein.blogspot.com/2009/07/switzerland-luxembourg-other-offshore.html
The US "victims" of the fatal chain reaction: UBS solicitation - promise of confidentiality and secrecy - tax evasion - UBS' disclosure of clients' names to the IRS, could conceivably have an after play in US courts. UBS has important activities in the jurisdiction, it sent their private bankers to solicit clients, and the clients are residents. These elements could probably be sufficient to bring legal action in the US. One has only to wonder about the strange situation, where two parties in a crime, UBS and the client together committing money laundering and tax evasion, can sue one another for breach of contract.
UBS in front of a US jury? Good luck!
Egide Thein
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Call me Madam: New US Ambassador to Luxembourg
Cynthia Stroum received her Bachelor of Arts degree in public relations/journalism cum laude from the University of Southern California. After graduation, Cynthia stayed in Los Angeles and worked in the film industry, eventually producing national television commercials. Returning home to Seattle, she became involved in community service, establishing two philanthropic foundations as well as handling her personal investments in start-up businesses (Starbuck’s being one of them). Cynthia was a Tony nominated producer for the 2004 Broadway production of A Raisin in the Sun. After recently completing her maximum term as a trustee of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, she was appointed a member of the Senior Council. She has served on the boards of Pacific Northwest Ballet, Northwest School for Hearing-Impaired Children, Channel 9/KCTS (Public Television), the Jewish Television Network, University Prep (a private school in Seattle), The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, A Contemporary Theatre and The Shoah Foundation (founded by Steven Spielberg). She was a Washington State Arts Commissioner and also served on Senator Patty Murray’s (D-WA) and Senator Maria Cantwell’s (D-WA) executive finance and planning committees. Cynthia continues to be politically active and is on the Obama for America National Finance Committee. Since her father’s diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in 2000 and subsequent death a year later, Cynthia has helped to bring greater visibility to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) as the founding Chairman of the Board. In addition to raising critical funding for research to fund a cure, she has played an important role in helping to move PanCAN’s legislative agenda through Congress. She also tirelessly speaks to families all over the country who are battling pancreatic cancer.
LUXEMBOURG
22, blvd Emmanuel Servais – L-2535 Luxembourg
Public Affairs Section – Tel. +352 46 01 23 – Fax +352 26 27 04 37
Press Release
Ms. Cynthia Stroum
Nominated next Ambassador of the United States of America
to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
September 12, 2009
On September 11, 2009 President Barack Obama announced the nomination of Ms. Cynthia Stroum as the next Ambassador of the United States of America to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Following is the text of President Obama’s statement regarding Ambassador-designate Stroum:
“Cynthia Stroum, Nominee for Ambassador to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
A native of Seattle, (in the state of Washington) Cynthia Stroum has been an angel investor in over twenty successful technology, biotechnology and retail start-up companies, including Starbucks Coffee Company. Over the last 30 years, Ms. Stroum has also been active in civic and charitable activities focusing on philanthropy and community service, establishing two non-profit foundations, with a particular focus on cancer research. Ms. Stroum has helped to bring greater visibility to pancreatic cancer, serving on the board of The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and as the Founding Chairman of the Board of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN). She has also served on the board of the Shoah Foundation. Previous to her business and philanthropic ventures, Ms. Stroum worked in the television and film industries and continues her commitment to the arts. Ms. Stroum made her Broadway producing debut in 2004 with the acclaimed Broadway production of A Raisin in the Sun, earning her a Tony nomination. Ms. Stroum holds a BA in Public Relations and Journalism from the University of Southern California.”
In the near future, Ambassador-designate Stroum will testify before a Senate panel; her nomination must be confirmed by the United States Senate before she will come to Luxembourg. She is expected to arrive sometime this Fall to present her credentials to Grand Duke Henri and begin her work as President Obama’s personal representative in the Grand Duchy.
To follow Ms. Stroum’s nomination process, please visit the U.S. Embassy Luxembourg website or Facebook page:
http://luxembourg.usembassy.gov/
http://www.facebook.com/
By Carole Beers
document.writeln(showE2("joelconnelly","seattlepi.com","Joel Connelly"))
Joel Connelly at September 12, 2009 3:00 p.m.Categories: campaign money, Democrats,National politics *** Now you have almost all I have. But dear Joel Connelly, why denigrate the prize Ms Stroum is getting with "less than 1,000 sqm and "HOWEVER" is member of NATO. You hurt her and my feelings. Say rather: "is more than 2,500 sqkm" . No one in the US can figure how big that is. And say: "is a founding member of NATO, the UN and of the European Union." If you are really nice, you add that Luxembourg produced four Tour de France winners. And we drank coffee before Starbucks.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Tax Justice Network: TJN letter to the Pittsburgh G-20 summit
I like to think that this letter reinforces the arguments in my post yesterday: Luxembourg banking: A lesson in democracy that will save democracy.
This is to be taken seriously by any financial center that wants to shed the stigma of tax haven, judicial haven, regulatory haven and corrupt money haven.
I believe that the concept of tax "avoision" will become a fixture in haven parlance.
Egide Thein
Monday, September 7, 2009
Luxembourg banking: A lesson in democracy that will save democracy.
Worldwide there are multitudes of so-called "non-governmental organizations” or NGOs. They are all more or less active advocates for various causes. Among them there are two main NGOs campaigning for the cleanliness of the international financial system. “Transparency International” (TI) fights against corruption in the world, while "Tax Justice Network” (TJN) watches the networks of tax evasion. Generally, it is not good to appear on their radar screens. But generally, too, when Luxembourg surfaces in publications, it is in a context with other countries, included in statistics, which drowns the fish at least a little.
The other day, however, Luxembourg had the honor of being singled out and exposed by TJN for more than a boring story of tax evasion: for a democratic deficit? (1)
Luxembourg’s NGOs commit hara-kiri, and revisit Galileo
The story goes that an association of Luxembourg NGOs (2) has made a study about corruption that would impoverish the "developing world" and come and hide the ill gotten moneys in Luxembourg. The guardians of the Luxembourg financial center were outraged by such a sacrilege (not the corruption, but the allegation that the money would end up in Luxembourg). They have neutralized the accusers with a barrage of fire, and then dragged them, already guilty as hell, to stand before the governmental bodies that grant them subsidies to operate and fulfill their missions, especially to help third world development.
These Galileans who had caused the scandal to be known, have been admonished, then threatened with losing their knapsack filled with generous Government subsidies, the well advertised money Luxembourg spends on developing countries. They beat their mea culpa, swearing they wouldn’t do it again as long as the Sun revolves around Earth. They had to discard their beautiful study, which actually now has disappeared from almost all sites on the Internet.
I encourage them to stand up, however, and insist on the validity of their study on behalf of the truth, for their right to freedom of speech and to highlight the arbitrariness to which they were subjected in a challenge to the very democratic principles. Their private donors are certainly in solidarity with them. I told them: "Don’t be afraid that this magical haversack filled with subsidies might get confiscated. Without you, Luxembourg does not have the means to execute its ambitious aid programs for which it would be world champion all categories, if there were not theseover-zealous Swedes ahead of us.” In fact, in order to maintain its position that it pursues with much ambition to be a leading donor country, it cannot do without the NGOs. Without them, the Government of Luxembourg would have to send checks directly to the potentates and other suspicious democrats in the Third World. Those exactly who for so long have managed to remain what they are: kidnappers of their own people and hijackers of whole countries which as a result continue to be developing countries, forever. No doubt many of these gentlemen (women are scarce in this business) would then take these checks and deposit them on personal accounts in Luxembourg, or Switzerland or elsewhere. Precisely what the Luxembourg and other donors want to avoid, thanks to the help and intervention of the NGOs who are dedicated, unselfish and vigilant in the field.
Bribery money in the world
As for that famous study, there is little to refute regarding principles:
1. The frustrating fact is that a few dozen countries in the developing world, despite receiving billions in aid, have never developed as expected. This is an indication that these billions were squandered in part or stolen by the political systems and cliques in power, to be stashed away in a jurisdiction that ensures confidentiality and security. Historical examples abound. Not to mention other ungenerous practices that hamper the development, such as "transfer pricing”, a tax strategy that multinationals often use to artificially minimize their tax debt in developing countries.
2. The International Monetary Fund estimates the total amount of money laundered globally at $800 - $ 2,000 billion per year. Sorry for the lack of precision. The IMF couldn’t do better. This shows how difficult it is to measure the overall impact of these hidden activities.
3. Transparency International and Kroll consider that international corruption, on contracts only, generates at least $500 billion annually, or 10% of those contracts. (3)
There would be no corruption money in Luxembourg?
Considering these facts and figures, it is statistically plausible to estimate that dirty money is spread across financial centers worldwide on a pro rata base to other deposits. Maybe a little more in those centers that never catch anyone. The bad guys are learning fast.
Here is a good question for a radio quiz: Who is the biggest money launderer on earth then? Answer, a little bit further down the lines.
The answer is simple to calculate. Ernst & Young estimates the total deposits in private banks in the world to be over $ 15.500 billion. It suffices to estimate the percentage held by institutions in Luxembourg, say 10% for ease of calculation, which is realistic, especially in adding all the other forms of deposits. There is a great risk therefore there are also 10% of worldwide bribes (or $ 50 billion) and 10% of global money laundering (or $ 80 - $ 200 billion). Sorry again for the lack of precision. I am only an individual who is making those estimates. But an individual who certainly knows that it is not impossible.
Recognizing these realities, it would seem that the only crime the Conference of NGOs committed was that it vexed the guardians of the fortress by over estimating the amount of money from corruption being parked in Luxembourg. But what about the lower estimates and also zero estimates? Sorry for the lack of precision. These are only estimates either by the NGOs or by those who believe differently.
Also, according to Ernst & Young only 2% of the dirty money worldwide would be detected and confiscated. So, we know nothing about the remaining 98% of the problem. I do not know if Luxembourg confiscates its share of 2% which would be $ 2.6 to $ 6.6 billion per year. I hope so. This would help to cover budget deficits.
For our own comfort, let’s get back to our quiz. If one considers the sums of money at various stages and layers of money laundering around the world, including a total of 98% that are never detected, the Federal Reserve of the United States is necessarily the institution that sees the most laundered money milling through it without never detecting it, given that the currency used to pay for worldwide crime is most often the U.S. dollar. That's the bonus of the day: now we feel much better and less guilty already in Luxembourg.
The consequences for Luxembourg
With such a charge against the Federal Reserve, we can leave the well-intentioned people at the NGOs alone. They are right after all about the great laundering machine: And yet it revolves!
The rebuff these NGOs were subjected to in front of the whole world to see, was certainly not a lesson in democracy. These organizations, in conscience decided to be the whistleblowers about what they witness on the ground, every day. Democracy got no help here, neither at home or with those presidents for life of any color, from A for Afghanistan to Z for Zimbabwe, who feel that their kleptocracy has been indirectly reinforced and protected by Luxembourg. Luxembourg in turn, in order to silence the troublemakers, I might say got its inspiration perhaps directly from those convincing methods of undemocratic, un-developing regimes. This is not Luxembourg.
The Luxembourg counter offensive cannot wait
In the interest of democratic principles, let’s all make a U-turn, because the NGO initiative has at least unveiled an incredible opportunity. If I understand correctly, some would say that my remarks above are filled with errors. If they are right, which is highly unlikely, it would mean that there is no corrupt money in Luxembourg. Luxembourg officials, from the financial world and from government alike have protested the NGOs' allegations. And those have publicly recognized their mistake and have retracted.
For Luxembourg, the virgin when it comes to corruption, it's time now to attack those who made our summer miserable, because of a few meager accounts from tax evaders. But now we can get back to our accusers, because they are the former colonial powers: London, Paris, Frankfurt, New York and other G20 members who maintain puppet regimes in their former colonies. And for sure, they must hide the shameful accounts of the corrupt regimes they support. It's time for Luxembourg to move heaven and earth, as the sun rotates around it, at the UN, OECD and in Brussels to fight these appalling bribery havens. Luxembourg will be the champion of democracy on Earth! What a great contrast with the tax haven that we used to be!
Egide Thein
egidethein.blogspot.com
(1) http://taxjustice.blogspot.com/2009/09/luxembourg-tax-haven-attacks-its-own.html
(2) Cooperation Circle of Development NGOs in Luxembourg asbl
(3) http://www.allbusiness.com/crime-law/crime-prevention-financial/12369951-1.html
Luxembourg: New Obama limo moves the President forward on Goodyear tires, made in Luxembourg.
According to the Luxembourg Business Journal, New York, (Spring Edition 2009), "these tires were developed in the Goodyear Technical Center of Goodyear in Luxembourg (GTC*L) and also built in the Tire Plant next to the R&D Center."
Note: Should there be any Presidential flat tires in the future, this article will be pulled from the blog of course.
Egide Thein