and Richard Wilkinson comment on Tax Heavens

Biography - JOHN PILGER

John Pilger is an Australian living in London. He began his career as a reporter in 1958, famous for books and documentaries that he has written or produced. His investigative journalism made him win the English Journalist Award Year, twice and the Peace Prize to Media Association of the United Nations. In the UK, he is famous for documentaries, especially those shot in and . He has worked as a during conflicts in , Cambodia, , India, Bangladesh and Biafra.

JOHN PILGER comments on Tax Heavens

'President Correa's referendum on tax havens is one of the most important initiatives by a national leader in the modern era. Tax havens cripple societies and help impoverish millions of people; in Latin America the tax realised on secret stashes would rejuvenate whole economies. In rich countries such as Britain, where the majority of people are forced to endure 'austerity' policies while billions are spirited out of the country, a ban on tax havens and the reclaiming of the mountain of tax owed, would rescue the . Ecuador is the first country ever to take this initiative and should be supported by all states that regard themselves as civilised. When Rafael Correa takes the issue to the United Nations in September, he deserves to count on new allies.'

Biography- RICHARD WILKINSON

Richard G. Wilkinson is an English research epidemiologist and a social investigator on inequalities and its effects on Health, and wrote with Kate Pickett, “The Spirit Level”, where they analyzed the correlation between the better distribution of wealth and a better health, less violence, drug abuse, teenage mothers, mental diseases, obesity and many other factors.

RICHARD WILKINSON comments on Tax Heavens

I very much welcome President Correa's initiative to ban politicians from using tax havens. Politicians should be model citizens who set standards of ethical behaviour rather than examples of greed and self-aggrandizement. I hope it will not be long before this example from Ecuador is taken up by other countries and lead eventually to the banning of tax havens themselves.

Richard Wilkinson Emeritus Professor of Social Epidemiology, Author of “The Spirit Level: why equality is better for everyone.” Co-Founder of “The Equality Trust”.