Grand Cayman, 16 October 2025 - Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, the Hon. André Ebanks has completed an active series of international and local engagements this month aimed at reinforcing the Cayman Islands' leadership in global financial regulation, anti-money laundering, and growing reinsurance sector.
Supporting Growth in the Reinsurance Sector – New York
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 U.S. 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.
Advancing Regional Cooperation – CFATF Panama Meeting
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, the Hon. 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.
Strengthening Domestic Capacity – CFATF Public Sector Training
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.
Promoting Local Leadership – ACAMS Chapter Launch and Spectrum Conference
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.
A Unified Strategy for the Future
Through these engagements — from New York to Panama to Cayman — 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."
Caption: Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce,
the Hon. André Ebanks addressed attendees at the launch of
the Cayman Islands Chapter of the Association of Certified
Anti-Money Laundering Specialists.
Caption: Public sector entities took part in a three-day training
exercise on critical updates to Financial Action Task Force
standards and assessment methodologies, put on by the Office for
Strategic Action on Illicit Finance, in partnership with the
Caribbean Financial Action Task Force.
Caption: Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce,
the Hon. André Ebanks addressed over 200 attendees at the
second annual Cayman Islands Reinsurance Roundtable Breakfast.
(Courtesy of Hechler Photographers)
Caption: Financial Action Task Force President Elisa de Anda
Madrazo (centre, green pants) engaged with the Premier and other
elected officials in the region at the Caribbean Financial Action
Task Force's 17th Council of Ministers Meeting.
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