During this time of crisis, some of the world’s wealthiest people have advised their governments to raise taxes on the rich to help pay for measures aimed at tackling the pandemic.
A group, which consist 83 millionaires from different countries, called for “permanent” tax change in an open letter.
The letter pronounces “As Covid-19 strikes the world; millionaires like us have a critical role to play in healing our world”. This letter includes signature of heiress Abigail Disney and Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield.
The letter adds: “No, we are not the ones caring for the sick in intensive care wards. We are not driving the ambulances that will bring the ill to hospitals. We are not restocking grocery store shelves or delivering food door to door.
“But we do have money, lots of it. Money that is desperately needed now and will continue to be needed in the years ahead, as our world recovers from this crisis.”
People across seven countries have added their names to the letter which is including the founder of the Warehouse Group and one of New Zealand’s richest men, British film director Richard Curtis and Sir Stephen Tindall.
The group cautioned that the economic impact would “last for decades” and the result could push more than half a billion people all over the world into poverty.
The letter says “Government leaders must take the responsibility for raising the funds we need and spending them fairly”.
It is the latest call for the world’s richest people to fund more in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis.
The world’s richest person and founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, has added billions to his fortune as demand for online shopping has soared, pushing up the firm’s share price.
Many pointed out that while Mr Bezos gave $100m to food banks in the US, that came to less than 0.1% of his estimated wealth.
