Updated 5pm: In addition to abuse of office and theft allegations, police also arrested suspended electricity regulator Joey Ebanks on suspicion of possession of a drug utensil, according to a news release issued by RCIPS Wednesday afternoon.
Police said a search of Mr. Ebanks’ residence was also conducted by officers Wednesday morning. He remains in police custody and will be interviewed in due course, investigators said.
Mr. Ebanks was arrested around 7am Wednesday.
According to police, who would not officially confirm the identity of the arrested man, officers arrested a male suspect at a Doubloon Drive residence in Bodden Town district in connection with fraud and theft.
Several police cars were seen outside Mr. Ebanks’ Bodden Town home in Doubloon Drive during the morning.
Cabinet suspended Mr. Ebanks, 49, as managing director of the Electricity Regulatory Authority and relieved him of all his duties within the ERA earlier this week in connection with an auditor general’s report into “inappropriate financial transactions”.
The report on the questionable transactions was passed to the police’s Financial Crime Unit for further investigation last week.
Officials in the Office of the Auditor General said they were aware of the arrest Wednesday, but would not comment further.
Mr. Ebanks could not be reached for comment.
Check back for more on this developing story and read Thursday’s Caymanian Compass.
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Good Grief ! All Governments are the same it seems !
Another one bites the dust! If Cayman keeps indicting their government officials, who is going to be left to run the ever so corrupt government? And to think, honest, intelligent people like me cannot find a job in Cayman to save my life simply because I am not a native or married to a CaymanianAt least I have integrity, a strong work ethic and all of the credentials needed to get the job done right!
Being a regular visitor to the island (no as much during the past year), it never ceases to amaze me how fast and far this island has fallen from grace. Whether it’s the white collar crimes committed by individuals such as the premier or electricity regulator, or the real crimes going on with the locals; armed robbery, shootings and stabbings, drugs and attacking tourists – this island is very quickly going down the tubes. A very sad sight to see.
Whether it’s the white collar crimes committed by individuals such as the premier or electricity regulator, or the real crimes going on with the locals; armed robbery, shootings and stabbings, drugs and attacking tourists.
caymangirl@heart
Funny statement this…could you explain the difference for me, please ?
Your statement implies that the only ‘real’ criminals are the second category…and that the ‘white collar’ guys aren’t committing any crime and shouldn’t be touched.
Obviously the lawmen don’t agree with you.
In spite of your long-term connection to Cayman, what you’ve obviously missed is that Cayman has ALWAYS been a most corrupt place…how else did you think that an island chain of 3 little islands with no natural or extensive human resources become one of the world’s top financial centres and richest places ?
All that has happened is that as the world’s economy has slipped from former heights of glory…
The mud at the bottom of Cayman’s pond has begun to rise to the top…as the water (money) resides.
What I would agree with you on, if this is what you mean, is that the political corruption that was less prominent in past years is now becoming the norm.
Do you believe that Joey Ebank’s continuing life of ‘star-blessed luck’ of appointments to lucrative positions eg the Boatswain Bay financial scandal before this, has nothing to do with his support for McKeeva Bush and the UDP party ?
Or that his current arrest has nothing to do with the same ?
Surely you can’t be that naive, can you ?
It really pains me to see these repeated firings, arrests, scandals etc, etc, etc. Seriously people, do we not see where these levels of GREED is steering us??? We already have an international financial war, tourism market fight, cruise destination debate, crime against tourists, political corruption and finally fraud at executive levels in various government agencies!!!
Whether these audit findings just now coming to light are by good oversight from the gate keepers or there is something larger behind them (all taking place within recent months). Why are we allowing our good Cayman product to be flushed away and allowing those who cheer in our demise to feast at our failures? When will we see that we are cannablizing ourselves from all angles? CAN’T WAIT TO GET THIS ELECTIONS PROCESS STARTED. ACCOUNTABLE CHANGE MUST COME!
This is one mans fault. You cannot blame the entire Government for his mistake.
As far as I am concerned caymangirl@heart, I am sure I would have the same problem getting a job in your country. Corruption can be found in Governments all over the world, not just the Cayman Islands. Just because of the unethical behavior of one individual does not give you or anyone else the right to condemn the entire Cayman Islands Government.I am sorry you feel entitled be employed on this Island in preference of qualified Caymanians.
@caymangirl@heart, really, why don’t you crawl back where you came from to find work, here critizing Caymanians. So many of you living good in these islands and hate the locals, i would rather see Cayman go back to the 70s than see people like u enjoying Cayman.
Ignorance is found in all walks of life, whether it be in the US or somewhere else. I certainly did not imply or make reference to only locals being the only criminals. So to those of you who interpreted it in that way, you appear to be sadly mistaken.
The islands including that of Cayman and the surrounding islands have experienced far better economic growth and progress due to the infulx of individuals such as myslef. Individuals who have embarked on obtaining higher education and various jobs in the workforce to better our skills and educational background. I have many caymanian friends and non-caymanian friends on the island and in no way feel the island should give a preference to an expat over a caymanian for any reason. That being said, the jobs should also not exclude competent expats who have the education and experience needed to become gainfully employed on the island simply because the job should be filled by a caymanian, qualified or not. That was simply the point I was trying to make. Reverse discrimination is equally just as bad.
Obviously, we must await due process, but the saga of corruption and criminality is weighing down Cayman. My heart bleeds, again.
caymangirl – It is simply not the case that the law, the authorities or employers require jobs to be filled by a Caymanian ‘whether they are qualified or not’. The law does say that where there is a suitably qualified Caymanian he/she should be employed in preference to an expat. In practice qualified Caymanians who apply for a job are often not even granted an interview while the job is given to an expat. The system is simply too dependent upon employers being honest in complying with the law rather than finding ways to circumvent it.
@anon2011
You’re a real scholarly light bulb aren’t you? Thank God you don’t obviously don’t speak for most Caymanians who do not live under rocks, nor are prepared to live under rocks as you so eloquently example.
Fierey: for once, I agree with EVERYTHING you have said. 🙂
Caymangirl: you say reverse discrimination is bad, but remember the old adage, when in Rome..while it may be distasteful to you, it IS the law and as long as it is, then we must live with it. If you find it too distasteful, you do have the option to leave,and I am not stating that in a Don’t let the door hit you on the way out kind of way, simply stating a fact..
Ah, yet another chapter in the Cayman Corruption book. Greed is everywhere.
Firery:
Your comment on caymangirl@heart’s comment is nit-picking – not the quality of your usual comments.
She (I assume) is not differentiating between white collar and real criminals, just mentioning the two categories. And there seem to be plenty of both, Caymanians and non-Caymanians alike in Cayman, at present.
anon2011 would presumably like to see Cayman back 100 years, just to have it all pristine. I’m sure he would enjoy living in those circumstances.
Glad to see caymangirl has replied (1235 pm).
Speakthethruth: caymangirl does not, it seems to me, state or imply that she has a right to be employed before Caymanians. She is absolutely right in her comment that reverse discrimination is just as bad (as discrimination).
I watch with great sadness as what was a sensible, fortunate, developing country tearing itself to bits by way of political and personal greed and selfish anti-social behaviour. And I still await comment from the Churches of Cayman on the moral deterioriation so horrifically evident.
Wow… look here… reminds of the large scale corruption going on in the United Kingdom. So large now that the FCO is shutting their mouths and keeping mute about it. No FOI request granted from them. Lol… makes you wonder how wide scale it is. King George indeed fell off his horse.
Fasten your seat belts people because Joey will come out swinging !!!!!!!!!!!
caymangirl@heart
I have to assume that you intended your comments in good context but lets be real. We are now seeing the results of purportedly bad administration and unaccountable behavior of recent years from a select few politicians with strings attached to loyalists of their party bidding their deeds. Now if you were to examine political corruption with the likes of Jamaica, Bahamas, dare I mention the great white United States where to succeed is to act corruptly and selfishly, at any cost. Then in those comparisons, the Cayman Islands remain a shining beacon of light in the global market, notwithstanding these recent witch huntscredible or otherwise! But we clearly have to stomp out any form of mismanagement or corruption by those entrusted to propel these good islands above the others.
LONG LIVE THESE CAYMAN ISLANDS!!!
Old Hand…
The respect is mutual.
Lets look at the real issue here.
Political patrimony based on party allegiance and support; this, in itself, does not necessarily equal political corruption but…
When the same individual, Joey Ebanks, is now arrested for fraud, in this, his second major incident, what else has it become ?
Lets rewind a bit…Boatswain Bay (Turtle Farm) chief involved in financial improprities that got him fired, almost arrested…and having to pay back some 50 grand or more of funds that he had misappropriated for his own use…from a financially failing CI Government subsidiary ?
And he gets another major appointment as the head of a very important government regulatory body…
And now the Old Bill (the police) has had to put the cuffs on him for fraud, the second time around ?
And we should all conveniently forget who appointed him to these positions and who has had his undying support all this time ?
Please, if that is not political corruption at the highest level…
You tell me what is.
I’M CONFUSED, IS THIS GUY RESPONSIBLE WHY MY LIGHT BILL IS SO HIGH?