Financial Services
Bills passed to improve BO disclosure regime
(CNS): Financial Services Minister André Ebanks has steered several bills through parliament, including a stand-alone Beneficial Transparency Ownership Act to improve the current regime on how information relating to who benefits from financial entities registered here is shared and to stay ahead of changing standards and rules. Explaining the law during last week’s special parliamentary […]
Ebanks hopes to enhance maritime business
(CNS): Financial Services Minister André Ebanks travelled to Athens, Greece, last week to support Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands (MACI) CEO Joel Walton and his staff in meetings with members of the Greek shipping community. The trip was part of MACI’s year-long celebrations of the 120-year anniversary of the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry and […]
Final FATF onsite visit key to Cayman’s ‘de-listing’
(CNS): Local officials remain hopeful that the Cayman Islands will be removed from the Financial Action Task Force’s grey list during the upcoming FATF Plenary in October after a final visit by FATF officials last week. The onsite visit by a delegation from the Americas Joint Group, a sub-working group of the FATF’s International Co-Operation […]
BO access won’t be public yet under new bill
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Government has rolled out another piece of legislation to enhance its anti-money laundering regime. However, the Beneficial Ownership Transparency Bill only improves access for law enforcement and relevant agencies, not the public. While the bill has provisions to allow public access in future, officials said that will not happen before Cayman […]
FATF visit to decide Cayman’s ‘grey’ list fate
(CNS): The Financial Action Task Force plenary session wrapped up in Paris on Friday, but the Cayman Islands is still on the FATF “grey” list, meaning that this jurisdiction’s measures to combat money laundering and terrorist financing (AML/CFT) remain under increased monitoring. Although Cayman has “substantially completed its action plan”, it will not be removed […]
Minister in Europe to tackle grey list issue
(CNS): Minister André Ebanks departed for Europe this weekend, heading a local delegation in the battle to finally get the Cayman Islands removed from the FATF grey list at a meeting in Paris next week. If he succeeds, this jurisdiction will likely also be removed from the European Union AML List in October.
CIMA warns of economic risk linked to climate
(CNS): Climate change is expected to increase risks within the financial system in many ways, the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority said in a report assessing the stability of the local economy and salient trends. Local institutions face acute and chronic climate-related risks potentially causing “dire economic consequences”, CIMA warned, as the regulator seeks ways to […]
Minister meets with SVB clients in Hong Kong
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA) is exploring legal options after the US Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC) seized deposits held at the Cayman branch of Silicon Valley Bank, The Wall Street Journal has reported. Financial Services Minister André Ebanks met with some of SVB’s depositors in Hong Kong recently and told them that […]
Financial crime talking shop emerges from JMC
(CNS): Later this year, the British Virgin Islands will host the inaugural annual meeting between the United Kingdom and its overseas territories to discuss tackling illicit finance. This new “ministerial-level annual dialogue” emerged from this year’s UKOT Joint Ministerial Council meeting, held in London last week, and aims to defend financial systems against illicit actors, […]
Officials still trying to get Cayman off grey list
(CNS): Financial Services Minister André Ebanks, Attorney General Samuel Bulgin and other government officials were in Mexico last week continuing efforts to get the Cayman Islands off the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list of jurisdictions when it comes to money laundering. Cayman is still on the ‘watch’ list, as concerns remain about the […]
Panton urges Owen to speak for financial sector
(CNS): Premier Wayne Panton said Friday that Jane Owen, in her new role as governor of the Cayman Islands, should not act only on behalf of Britain’s interests, and made it clear that he hopes she will help to promote Cayman’s financial services sector and help get the jurisdiction off the FATF grey list.
