As Government’s newest Deputy Chief Officer for the Ministry of Community Affairs, André Ebanks has the credentials and the willpower to make a qualitative difference.
Recognising the importance of this recruitment, His Excellency the Acting Governor and Head of the Civil Service, Hon. Franz Manderson, said “I am delighted to see another young and talented Caymanian promoted in the Civil Service. I welcome Mr. Ebanks to this leadership post and very much look forward to working with him and his Chief Officer as we strive to make the lives of those we serve better”.
Mr. Ebanks brings a prolific range of complementary skills to his new role and forms a dynamic force with Chief Officer Echenique. In March 2018, they both joined a knowledgeable and hardworking team, and together intend to bring about impactful changes that will contribute to the empowerment of persons and enhancement of lives in the Cayman Islands.
“The Ministry of Community Affairs is principally two vital departments: Department of Children & Family Services and the Needs Assessment Unit, along with finance, administrative, policy and gender affairs staff,” he said. “The subject areas covered are essential services that directly affect the very fabric of our society. And if not carefully considered and enhanced as necessary, the results will have a material adverse impact on nearly every sector of society—such as financial services, tourism, education, national security and health care.”
Perfectly happy in his previous post as Senior Legislative Policy Advisor in the Ministry of Financial Services, Mr. Ebanks nevertheless felt compelled to take up the challenge of his latest post when he considered the best interests of the country as a whole.
As a qualified attorney; a civil servant with experience in public policy development and a degree in Sociology; a past Gender Equality Tribunal member; and a former Human Rights Committee member, Mr. Ebanks’ experience and qualifications make him the ideal candidate for the Deputy Chief Officer role.
Mr. Ebanks indicated that his goal is “to assist in strengthening the legislation, policy and procedures which impact the most vulnerable in society; and thereby increase the prospects of broadly shared prosperity across the country”.
Before joining the Civil Service, three and a half years ago, the Deputy Chief Officer spent nearly 15 years in the private sector. His last post outside the Civil Service was as an Associate and member of the Investment Funds Practice Group of Walkers (Cayman). As a former Senior Legislative Policy Advisor in the Civil Service, Mr. Ebanks played an integral role in developing a raft of legislation and regulations including the Limited Liability Companies Law, 2016 and the revamped Accountants Law.
Chief Officer Ms Echenique gives him a glowing review. “André is blessed with an abundance of passion and energy and has excellent management skills. A spirited advocate for caring government, he is an effective communicator who listens to others. André is especially strong when delivering ways forward, cutting through the intersection of where legislation informs policy decisions.
When not caring for his community, at round table meetings or in the field, the Deputy Chief Officer enjoys spending time with his young family. “Nothing does more to help me unwind from a hectic day than being with our four-year-old son and three-year-old daughter,” he said. “Their waiting smiles instantly melt stress away—until, of course, it is time to convince them to go to bed.”
Councillor for Community Affairs, Mr. Austin Harris, shared “Having had the opportunity to work closely with Mr. Ebanks during his initial three-months on the job, I am confident that his contributions going forward will better enable the Government to achieve its strategic objectives of creating stronger communities while supporting the most vulnerable in society. I am thrilled to formally welcome him to the Ministry of Community Affairs team!”