Fredbargate

Funchal

EMR

[QUOTE=Dick Dasterdly;11662668]There again maybe the people of Madeira owe a debt of gratitude to the Gibraltarians.


History of the Chipulina Family
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"In fact Madeira was basically a tourism orientated economy, and the advent of the 'Gibraltinos', as the evacuees were called, was a godsend to them, spending money and filling hotels which would otherwise have remained empty and closed because of the war."

Also the foreign office arranged an English school and teachers.

There were other options and some kids were sent to Jamaica.[/QUOTE
Keeping Portugal neutral and on side was a critical part of keeping Spain out of the war and obviously preventing the axis taking Gib.
If the rightwing governments of Salazar and Franco had joined the axis in 1940 when theUK was fighting on its how long would Gib have held out.

Gordon Barlow

Also, I imagine Madeira's offshore financial centre modelled itself on Gibraltar's. That was a while after WWII, but still, the connection must have come in useful. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that Madeira's earliest tax-haven professionals were recruited from Gib, just as Cayman's were recruited from Nassau.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offshore_financial_centre

Fredbargate

If Gib had fallen your first language would now be German

Fredbargate

That's interesting Gordon I did not know that Portugal harbours a load of tax cheats.

Substitute Portugese for British and UK for Portugal and what have you got

Gordon Barlow

Dear oh dear, Fred! Don't say that out loud. No larger a load than Cayman or Gib, though, probably. Or indeed most of the other places on Wikipedia's list. We all come in for our fair share of hammering from the onshore heavy-taxers, don't we? Sigh.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_offshore_financial_centres

Dick Dasterdly

Cayman isles, a sticky finger in the FIFA pie ?
Nah, I don't believing it for a minute.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/31/sp...ands.html?_r=0

Gordon Barlow

We've gone a bit off-topic, here, but the FIFA scandal is way too juicy to ignore! Here's what our local paper had to say about it:
When 'no comment' is the wrong comment :: Cayman Compass

I have to say I take no personal responsibility for this mess, Dick - or indeed for any other corruption in Cayman! If you read my blog you'll see that I have been a reformer for many years. Although - I am a strong defender of tax-havens, including Gibraltar, since I am strongly opposed in principle to the dreadful practice of levying taxes on incomes.

Fredbargate

Agreed Gordon but one of those on this forum who apparently has strong links with Portugal is always badmouthing Gib.

Madeira corporate tax 5%

Gibraltar corporate tax 10%

Maybe Amazon will move there.

jimenato

Odd! Portugal's corprate tax is 21%. You would have thought that Madeira would have the same tax regime as Portugal. Either that or become fully independent.

EMR

Even more reason to be gratefull that Portugal stayed neutral and for the safe haven provided for evacuees from Gibraltar.

Regarding Madeiras limited tax benefits, these will end iin 2020/ 2027 as directed by the EU.
Will Gibraltar follow suit.

With the Fifa scandal in the news I am surprised Fred that you did not report the concern regarding the risks of match fixing because of the very high level of gambling taking place on local matches in Gibraltar. Olive press 25th April.2014

Fredbargate

Was London also neutral

Lots of Gibraltarians were moved there for their safety also

Fredbargate

Who knows if the EU will still exist by 2027?

EsuriJohn

I am sure I have heard that argument somewhere on here before but not Madeira some where else can't think where!!!

Fredbargate

Nothing in the Olive Press archives?

However Portugal is a Member of FIFA that many people deem as corrupt wereas Gibraltar isn't

With reference to gambling, remember that any match fixing would not take place in Gibraltar.