New ministry: “Engine to Propel Cayman Forward”

By Staff Writer

The new Ministry for Investment, Innovation & Social Development (MIISD) is being positioned to be an 'Engine to Propel Cayman Forward' says Hon. Minister Andre Ebanks.

In a statement following a three-day planning session this week, Mr Ebanks said the refocused ministry “has the potential to be a powerful engine that can propel the country forward.”

“The three intricately linked pillars of the new Ministry of Investment, Innovation and Social Development (MIISD) provide a real opportunity to enable all segments of society to benefit from prosperity and economic growth, which is globally competitive and diverse, and driven by tangible improvements,” the new minister declared.

Mr Ebanks also has responsibilities as Minister for Financial Services & Commerce.

An official statement following the planning session describes the MIISD as “a government ministry entrusted to set and drive the Cayman Islands’ investment, innovation and social agenda within the broader governance structure of the Cayman Islands Government”.

It said the MIISD will play a critical role in supporting Government by developing strategic initiatives, creating new legislation and policy, and undertaking robust reform to delivery of Government services, across three distinct yet intricately linked pillars of investment, innovation and social development.

According to Mr Ebanks, “A key component of delivering on this vision will be to ensure that the Ministry, its departments and units are aligned in benefitting and empowering all people in the Cayman Islands. It is imperative that we support and uplift Cayman's most vulnerable people as well as Government's assistance entities as a top priority."

"I applaud all who participated in these strategy sessions, from both the Ministry teams and from EY Cayman, with such palpable inspiration and enthusiasm for their individual subject areas - and taking stock of the bigger picture as to how these subject areas fit and can reimagine life for many. I look forward to working with each of them to deliver on our ambitious plans for the benefit of everyone in the Cayman Islands," Min. Ebanks stated.

The offsite strategy planning sessions were facilitated by EY Cayman partners and staff, and took place in the firm's new wavespaceTM in Camana Bay, promoted as “a collaborative, digitally-driven experience that enables teams to identify and align priorities, discover synergies, and tackle challenges”.

The MIISD was the first to use its facilities noted Chief Officer Eric Bush while commending the company for hosting and facilitating the event which had 60 participants across the three days:

"On behalf of the Ministry, we are delighted to be the first in-person participants at the 'EY wavespace' in Cayman, and grateful for the significant investment of time, effort and resources by the EY Cayman team through the government's highly competitive procurement process," he stated.

Mr Bush said the collaboration was "a testament to the forward-looking vision and mission of the Ministry of Investment, Innovation and Social Development (MIISD) and the mindset and work ethic with which we will deliver on Government's strategic priorities in the next four years."