London, United Kingdom – The Cayman Islands Government Office in the UK (CIGOUK) facilitated tours for a London visit for Kristina Ebanks and Asia Bush, two students who won an essay competition through GirlForce, a mentor group for 100Women in Finance (Cayman).

The students, mentors and parents joined a tour of the Houses of Westminster, learning about the UK Government political system and visiting areas of the House of Commons not usually accessible to the general public.

CIGO-UK was able to organise an exclusive tour of the Palace of Westminster for Ms Ebanks and Ms Bush, their mothers and their GirlForce mentors. Phillippa Knights, Assistant Representative and Government Student Liaison for Cayman Government in the UK who organised the tour said: “It was a delight to host the GirlForce Group and be part of a cultural and informative tour of Parliament.”

Cayman Connection UK (CCUK), a network for Caymanians overseas, organises city walking tours for visiting Caymanians and assisted in the organisation of a tour of the City of London with partner Joolz Guides, showing the group the history of the City of London and stopping off at some iconic London venues.

Kristina Ebanks, who won the trip to London, said of the tours “It was fascinating to see the Palace of Westminster, they are such impressive buildings and we learned a lot about UK politics. The city tour was great fun, we saw a lot of London. Our guide was very amusing, but it was cold!”

GirlForce Mentor Audrey Rankin commented that she enjoyed the tours, finding them very educational, “especially for the Mentees”. Ms Rankin concluded by thanking the Cayman Islands Government Office and Cayman Connection UK for facilitating the tours.

Cayman Islands Representative André Ebanks said of the visit: “Our office was thrilled to help 100WF (Cayman) facilitate a London visit for two young female Caymanian high school students who wish to explore a career in financial services. Watching their excited faces, and each of their mothers’ excited faces, before, during and after planned activities was not only a joy for our office team to see but was, importantly, evidence that positive exposure, however brief, can enrich and inspire a young person to aim high in their desired careers, and in the process learn how they can contribute to gender balance in the financial services industry.”

Images:

1) GirlForce Group L-R – Mrs Katrina Ebanks, Suhina Lally, Jullian McDonnall (tour guide), Mrs Yeny Rego, parent, Asia Bush, Kristina Ebanks, Kate Kandiah, Aubrey Bodden – on London walking tour 

2) GirlForce Group with L-R – Charles Parchment Deputy Representative, Suhina Lally, Renee Caudeiron, Kristina Ebanks, Katrina Ebanks, Yeny Rego, Asia Bush and Andre Ebanks, Cayman Islands Representative.

3) GirlForce Group at Palace of Westminster, Yeny Rego parent, Asia Bush, Suhina Lally, Renee Caudeiron, Katrina Ebanks, parent, Kristina Ebanks, Phillippa Knights, Assistant Representative  

4) GirlForce Group on tour of Westminster