The Mauritius Ministry of Finance and Economic Development has issued a joint communique in response to the so-called “Mauritius Leaks” investigation, which involves the recent publication by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) of data on over 200 companies that reportedly used Mauritius as part of tax schemes to avoid taxes in countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas. In the communique, Mauritius rejects several aspects of the ICIJ’s investigation, including the following:
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The Government of Mauritius has taken cognizance of the information averred by the ICIJ in the articles, which were illegally obtained and tampered with, and of the allegations which are of a serious and malicious nature, and factually incorrect. It is noteworthy that a criminal investigation is currently being conducted after the police has received complaints that the IT systems of a corporate service provider has been illegally intruded and breached.
The ICIJ has, all throughout its articles, clearly stated that “offshore companies and trust have legitimate uses,” and that “we do not intend to suggest or imply that the people or companies or other entities…have broken the law or otherwise acted improperly”.
It would seem that the ICIJ itself is confused as to the purpose and objective of its articles. And it appears, therefore, that its agenda is to use its unsubstantiated “findings” and incorrect arguments just to harm the repute of Mauritius.
In this light, the Government of Mauritius firmly rejects the statement that Mauritius is a “a small island off Africa’s east coast helped companies leach tax revenue from poor African, Arab and Asian nations”, as stated in one of the articles by ICIJ’s Will Fitzgibbon. The ICIJ was apprised, at the very outset, of the recent legislative and policy changes brought to our system, but nevertheless focused on obsolete information.
Source: Orbitax https://bit.ly/2ynpyi4