Programme

Library, House of
National Culture

16 November 2007

Admission is
open to all and
free of charge.

12.00 The Hon. Arni M. Mathiesen, Min. of Finance: Opening Rem.
12.05 Prof. Arthur B. Laffer: The Benefits of Tax Cuts
12.45 Prof. Gudmundur Magnusson: Comments
12.55 Discussion, Questions and Answers
13.10 Agust Olafur Agustsson: Closing Rem.

Chair: Ingimundur Sigurpalsson, chairman of CIE

Arni M. Mathiesen, 49, graduated in veterinary medicine from Edinburgh University and in fish pathology from Stirling University. He became Member of Parliament for the Independence Party in 1991, Minister of the Fisheries in 1999 and Minister of Finance in 2005.

Arthur B. Laffer, 67, received his doctorate in Economics from Stanford University and taught at Chicago University, the University of Southern California and Pepperdine University. The author of several books and papers, he was an adviser to President Ronald Reagan and other Republican leaders and generally credited with starting the American tax revolt of the 1980s.

Gudmundur Magnusson, 70, received his doctorate in Economics from the University of Uppsala in 1968, after which he was professor of economics at the University of Iceland for 37 years, specialising in public finance. The author of several books in Icelandic, he served as rector of the University in 1979-85. He now lives in Denmark.

Agust Olafur Agustsson, 30, holds degrees in both law and economics from the University of Iceland. He has been Member of Parliament for the Social Democratic Party since 2003, and has been Vice-Chairman of the Party since 2005. He is chairman of the parliamentary committee on trade.