UCCI board chair quits

Sheree Ebanks

(CNS): Sheree Ebanks has resigned from her position as chair of the UCCI Board of Directors after just 18 months at the helm of the college. Ebanks told CNS that she had formally resigned in December last year but continued on to oversee the recent viability report. Ebanks said she left on 5 March as the position was causing a conflict with her main job as the CEO of the local accountants association.

Her departure follows a public statement last week seeking to clarify comments she had made about the college’s associate’s degree in business. During a press briefing lst month in which Ebanks and other UCCI officials revealed the details of the viability report she had described the course as “essentially meaningless” and one that would be cut.

In her statement Ebanks explained that her comment was meant to indicate that the course on its own was not sufficient to help local students find work and that it would become part of a full four-year Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

Pointing to her resignation some three months ago, Ebanks said that as the CEO of the Cayman Islands Society of Professional Accountants (CISPA) she worked closely with both the ICCI and UCCI and that continuing to serve on the UCCI Board “would present a conflict of interest”.

She stayed on, at the ministry’s request, to oversee phase 1 of the Viability Report, but since it is now complete Ebanks said she could no longer remain as chair.

“At this time, it is essential that initiatives we wish to pursue within CISPA commence and, unfortunately, I am no longer able to serve without being conflicted.  In order to preserve the principles of good governance I advised the Ministry that, with effect from March 5th, I would need to step down as the Chair.   The Ministry is supportive of my decision and I look forward to continuing to work with UCCI and the Ministry in their educational initiatives,” she stated in an email to Cayman News Service.