Tax Haven Oranjemund!

Michael Alexander · February 20, 2008, 01:27:18 PM

I believe that this Sheik Crown person will be in Windhoek this weekend, my source is leaving tomorrow to join the meeting!

Patricia Lotte · February 21, 2008, 03:30:03 AM

Hope your 'source' will paint a very bleak picture of Oranjemund so that the Sheikh changes his mind and looks elsewhere to establish his new kingdom. Would hate it if they got their hands on the place.

Michael Alexander · February 21, 2008, 04:56:04 AM

Well news update, my source has just said that the meeting has been moved to the beginning of March.... The thing is money, nobody else seems prepared to come and invest "big" in Namibia..... are these guys the bottom of the barrel?

georg ruf jr. · February 21, 2008, 06:31:34 AM

$$$$$$...

SandyB · February 21, 2008, 08:46:28 AM

Dubai .. I see some opinions .. mine plain and simple . One Huge Vulgar display of wealth and ability to do it with the wealth .. power guzzling , resource guzzling , Bigger .. But Better ?? No ! all artificial ... you want snow and ski .. you go to where snow and ski is .. you want tropical island . then you go to tropical island ... I say no more ... what when the resource runs out .. Then ??

georg ruf jr. · February 21, 2008, 09:07:24 AM

That's my opinion too, Sandy. What happens when they run out of resources. I don't think they'll be able to their standard with tourism. And I don't think they'll be capable of keeping the rich people in town the way it's done in Monaco.
Monaco is only good for rich people to take the money they "made" in their home country and "invest" there. That's cheating in many ways. Loss of tax in there home country, not reinvesting where they "earned" it ect...

Patricia Lotte · February 21, 2008, 09:53:32 AM

I agree that once the resources have run out, things will be very different. But Dubai has never had as much resources as, for example, Abu Dhabi (that's where the oil is), so it has concentrated on tourism and foreign investment, attracting major companies to its free zones, exempt from taxes. Although I live here, I'm not blinded by the artificial side of things. Nonetheless, I do think that they will be able to maintain high standards of living (I'm speaking for the rich, of course). There will always be poor countries to send cheap labour to do the dirty work here and serve the rich!