Civil servants representing the Ministry of Employment and Border Control, Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, Customs and Border Control, Financial Reporting Authority and Department of Commerce and Investment recently completed a five-day professional certification course on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT).

“This training again demonstrates Government’s commitment to AML/CFT, by continuing to support civil servants’ abilities to interdict, disrupt and dismantle transactional organisations,” said the Ministry’s Deputy Chief Officer Michael Ebanks. “Ultimately, our goal is to help ensure that the Cayman Islands remains at the forefront of compliance with global standards aimed at preventing and detecting money laundering and terrorist financing.”

Organised by the Ministry of Employment & Border Control through the International Centre for Parliamentary Studies (ICPS), the training can lead to a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) qualification should civil servants want  pursue. Facilitated by Dr. Colin King, Reader in Law from the University of London, participants were able to explore different aspects and developments of AML/CTF in a casual and engaging environment.

May Muhtadi, Senior International Programmes and Strategy Manager said that the International Centre for Parliamentary Studies (ICPS) exists to promote effective policymaking and good governance through enhanced interaction between Parliaments, governments and other stakeholders in society. By providing a clear analysis of the strategies that can be employed to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism, we believe it can equip participants with the appropriate tools and methods to implement effective policies and action.

Dr. King’s vast knowledge and experience in anti-money laundering and countering financial terrorism has afforded him the ability to deliver this training on behalf of ICPS over the past 3 years in London, but it was his first time to Cayman.

“The training went really well,” Dr. King said, noting that the group’s discussion included how Cayman’s law operates in practice.

Senior Compliance Officer in the Department of Commerce & Investment, Celia Paz Gomez was one of the 14 persons who earned a certificate.

“The discussions we had as a group were based on actual scenarios and challenges in combatting them. I most enjoyed the topic on the different modus operandi of launderers and terrorists to solicit manage and use funds, and how to detect this,” she said.

Kenval Bryan, an Investigative Analyst with Customs and Border Control who also completed the training, said, “Having a keen understanding of the AML/CFT challenges affecting our jurisdiction forms a crucial component of my responsibilities.

“This course has been of tremendous benefit to me. What I enjoyed the most was the shared experience of my colleagues, explaining how they navigated the challenges of AML/CFT in our jurisdiction.”