Former West Bay lawmaker Benson O. Ebanks has died.
Premier Wayne Panton announced Ebanks’ passing in a statement Wednesday morning, praising the former member of the Legislative Assembly’s “contributions to our country’s development across private, public and civic life”.
“He embodied the truest essence of being Caymanian and will be sorely missed”, the premier said in the statement.
Ebanks served as Minister for Health, Education and Social Services from 1969 to 1976 and then was Minister for Education, Social Services and the Environment from 1984 to 1992. A “stalwart champion of education and higher learning”, Ebanks helped to establish the Sunrise Adult Learning Centre. The government-operated centre offers integrated services and programmes for adults with a broad range of special needs.
Ebanks began his banking career working for Barclays Bank in 1954. A founding shareholder of Cayman National Bank, he served as chairman of the board from its inception in 1974 until 2010. Ebanks held a long and distinguished career in banking and was instrumental in Cayman National establishing a presence in Cayman Brac. In 2016, the Brac branch was dedicated in his honour.
Elected to serve as the first President of the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce from 1965 to 1967, Ebanks worked with the founders to ensure the success of the association in its early years.
“He was truly a Caymanian son of the soil who helped to lay a foundation in politics, in business and in the community. His outstanding contributions will benefit future generation”, the Chamber said, in a statement on his passing.
Ebanks helped charter the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman in 1966, and was the first chairman of the National Council of Voluntary Organisations (now the National Children’s Voluntary Organisation).
Flags will fly at half-staff on Wednesday at all government sites, and then again for two days before Ebanks’ funeral, which has not yet been announced.
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