Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce André Ebanks addressed more than 200 attendees at the second annual Cayman Islands Reinsurance Roundtable Breakfast in New York. (Photo: Hechler Photographers)
During the week of 1 October, Premier Ebanks met with key stakeholders in New York, alongside officials from the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA), to promote Cayman’s expanding reinsurance market.
At the second annual Cayman Islands Reinsurance Roundtable Breakfast, hosted at the Harvard Club, the premier addressed over 200 delegates from seven countries. He reaffirmed government’s commitment to achieving National Association of Insurance Commissioners Qualified Jurisdiction status, a key step toward enhancing Cayman’s reinsurance credibility in the US market.
“This initiative is crucial for strengthening investor confidence and ensuring that our financial services industry remains agile and respected in an evolving regulatory environment,” Premier Ebanks said.
Following his New York engagements, the premier attended the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) 17th Council of Ministers Meeting, held in Panama from 2–3 October.
The meeting brought together regional ministers and senior officials to align on anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing, and counter-proliferation financing (AML/CFT/CPF) priorities in accordance with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) global standards. The FATF President, Elisa de Anda Madrazo, joined the meeting on 3 October and conveyed instructive insights concerning the new round of FATF mutual evaluations.
“This meeting was highly impactful as we addressed regional efforts to enhance AML/CFT/CPF frameworks,” the Premier noted. “The Cayman Islands continues to lead in risk-based supervision, information sharing, and legislative reforms that build regional resilience and global confidence.”
Accompanying the Premier were Attorney General Samuel Bulgin, Chief Officer Dr Dax Basdeo, Cabinet Secretary Samuel Rose and Cabinet Office team member Sean Whelan. Together, they reaffirmed Cayman’s commitment to transparency, capacity building, and technical cooperation across jurisdictions, the ministry said in a press release.
Back home, the premier gave opening remarks at the CFATF public sector training exercise, hosted by the Office for Strategic Action on Illicit Finance (OSAIF) in partnership with CFATF officials.
Held from 6-8 October at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, the training provided critical updates on FATF standards and assessment methodologies in preparation for Cayman’s 2027 mutual evaluation. Representatives from CIMA, Customs and Border Control, the Financial Reporting Authority, and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service participated in practical sessions on proliferation financing, legal entities, and international cooperation.
“The technical expertise of our public servants is vital to safeguarding the integrity of our financial system,” said Premier Ebanks. “This training ensures we remain ahead of the curve in compliance and risk management.”
OSAIF will continue its work to coordinate and enhance Cayman’s AML/CFT/CPF regime, with National Risk Assessment meetings continuing to the end of the year.
On 8 October, the Premier attended the launch of the Cayman Islands Chapter of the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) — only the second of its kind in the Caribbean. The new chapter strengthens Cayman’s growing community of compliance professionals, now among the largest globally.
Later that day, Premier Ebanks delivered the keynote address at the Spectrum conference, held at the Kimpton Seafire Resort, addressing over 200 stakeholders across government, industry, and regulatory bodies. His remarks underscored the importance of innovation, collaboration, and integrity in maintaining Cayman’s position as a global financial services centre of excellence and innovation.
The government said, through these engagements the Premier reinforced the Cayman Islands Government’s comprehensive strategy to support sustainable growth, strengthen regulatory alignment, and ensure continued trust in the country’s financial services.
“Our success depends on continued engagement, both internationally and at home,” Premier Ebanks said. “By combining policy leadership, industry collaboration, and professional development, we are building a stronger, more diverse and resilient Cayman Islands financial services centre.”
