Joey may go back to the farm
(CNS): PPM North Side candidate Joey Ebanks has said that instead of the requirement for six months leave of notice from Boatswain’s Beach (Cayman Turtle Farm Ltd), as stated in his contract, he has agreed to act as a paid consultant for the same period. However, if elected he would not be able to accept the paid position offered by the Board but would still, in his role as MLA, offer advice to the new management team, as he would do for any government body.
Ebanks resigned from his post as managing director of the company on 24 March, the day before Nomination Day when he was declared a candidate for the People’s Progressive Movement in North Side. However, news that he had received a substantial salary advance during the period that he was employed by the Turtle Farm emerged shortly afterwards.
Turtle Farm Board Chair Joel Walton has said that while the Turtle Farm does offer advances to staff “ in unusual circumstance”, these are normally approved by its management. Asked about Ebanks’ salary advances, he said the Board became aware of them whilst conducting its due diligence procedures upon Ebanks’ resignation, and that there were several advances and trade credits obtained by Ebanks over a period of time. The repayment of salary advances, amounting to over $50,000, was made in cash. Walton said the cash payment was made, “Because the Board wanted it paid. It was the correct thing to do.”
Ebanks told CNS that he has been asked to do an audit on advances by the chief financial officer of the TurtleFarm, but that he had no issue with paying the advance salary back. He also noted that when he resigned his position, he still had $18,000 or $19,000 vacation pay due to him.
The terms of his separation from the Turtle Farm are being negotiated by attorneys, Ebanks said, and explained that because statuary bodies might be scrutinized by the complaints commissioner or the auditor general, they are now being very meticulous in taking advice from lawyers.
Walton said the Board had not yet revealed full details of Ebanks’ salary advances since the matter had yet to be closed. “The Board will not prejudice its position nor take lightly its responsibility to protect the interest of Company and it shareholders by making premature statements on the remaining matter,” he said.
Ebanks is running for the North Side seat long held by Edna Moyle, who officially nominated him for the elections. He is running against Ezzard Miller, a former minister and experienced politician, as well as Oswell Rankine, who previously ran for office in East End. Ebanks has himself taken to the hustings in the past when he tried his hand in Bodden Town in 2000 as independent.
Category: Election 2009
Joey,
You got screwed by the decision of Edna to step down so late in the game. Hope she can help you out with a new job!
Joey – Go East and Stay East, this is one in the West who works way to hard for their money.
Joey you may have been able to sabotage Ezzard’s motorcade today but there is not much that you will be able to do to prevent the celebratory motorcade that will follow his success on Wednesday.
HEAR YE……..HEAR YE………HEAR YE:
The PPM have now realized that they are losing, so they have adopted what I would opt to call "Text-Scams"……………….and this is the best part- I got one saying that McKeeva was voted out in Nov 05!! HA HA HA….But wait, wasnt the last election in May 2005 thus the reason for the General Election tommorow? Do I sense CONFUSION, DISTORTION and VERTIGO? (for you PPM supporters, vertigo is a medical condition that makes you un-balanced).
When the bell sounds in North Side tommorow night, and Ezzard is declared winner, its all downhill from there for the PPM. Next could POSSIBLY be Arden in East End, then Chuckie and Ozzie in Bodden Town, then Lucille, Alphonso and POSSIBLY Alden in George Town.
PPM and supporters- dont worry, the next government will be for you as well even though the past 4 years have ONLY been for the PPM and their chosen few. No more McAlpine big contracts while the small man starves. No more un-employment while Government Ministers and Ministries opt to hire EXPATS rather than Caymanians. No more high CUC bills. NO MORE OF THE PPM MIS-MANAGEMENT AND DISTORTION.
Breaking News !!!!
For the PPM and UDP sorry guys i won’t be participating in you campaign tonigh because i have better thing to do.Do you know that American Idol Finals is on tonigh and plus dancing with the stars finals too….sorry guys i see you in the Freedom Street tomorrow night when UDP do a clean sweep!!! ….
My predictions for tomorrow 20 May
GT-Ellio,Mike,Kurt and Wally or Burns
WB-Mckeeva,Rolston,Glidden, Bernie or capt.Eugene
B.T-Mark,Anthony and Thereza or Gilbert
NS-Ezzard
EE-Too close too call
SI-Julliana and Moses
UDP WINS!!!!!!!
Who keeps and does business using $55,000.00 in cash? Drug dealers? Criminals?
I know a great number of honest people who have $55,000.00 available to them, AND THEY ALL KEEP IT IN THE BANK, and when they pay their bills, like me they write a cheque or have a draft prepared.
The ONLY reason to use cash for a transaction that large is to try to hide the source of the funds, and that begs for an investigation as to where the money came from and how the funds were generated. Clearly there is no honest reason for this type of payment. If Cayman wants to be on the White List of anti-money laundering good-guys, then this better be publicly investigated until the source of those funds is determined, and this be seen to be sorted out.
Oh, and Joey getting elected? Give us a break – he couldn’t keep his hands off the Turtle Farm’s money, and now he wants to get his hands on the treasury? Right….
Well if north siders, those of you that keep up with the news can vote for Joey after knowing all of this then you all need your heads examined. How can he justify what he did there, the poor workers could not cash their checks, no money in the bank, BUT Joey could advance him self money every month just enough under the radar that the board could not catch it.Shame shame shame Joey, you need to learn a lesson in being honest, and you want to represent north side, worse yet you and the ppm is sending out texts today and emails beating up on Ezzard for some thing that one of your croonies stole from the Ritz and spun on to defame him, at least he did not stoop that low. Now I have a question for the board how come you all allowed him to continue campaigning with out reporting all of this, maybe there is still faithful croonies there for him, where is the FOI.
Joey you cant run away from this it is there, so face it and explain it with the truth. but then again you cant handle the truth.
North siders we are smarter than this, dont be fooled the grin, Guve him what he deserves, a NO VOTE on may 20th. you earned it Joey my vote will count on wednesday, but not for you.
Shameeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee on you.
In addition to Expat24,372 well thought out questions, I would like to add another layer — who is the "management" referred to in the article that approved these salary advances?? If the Board members were not aware of these advances because they fell below the threshold and Joey is the Managing Director…………..then WHO approved his advances???? Please do not tell me that he was allowed to grant salary advances to himself??
We really need to kick up a stink about the workings of these Boards…This is the height of slackness!!!
I am sorry but it would appear to me that Mr. Ebanks is not fit to run for public office. His ethics alone are most questionable.
What a mess…you dream on Joey, you won’t get back down there to get your "huge salary advances" when it suits you!!
I would like to know though where you got CI$55,000 CASH to pay back to the Turtle Farm? You still have answered the questions that were put to you in relationto the above!!
North Siders vote for Ezzard Miller tomorrow…you hear!!
Question
Wasn’t Joey a Government Employee?
Have you all forgot about Mckeeva and the First Cayman Bank that had to close because of improper business transactions? Mckeeva was a director then, not a director when the sh&t hit the fan, then was proven to be one, is this not the same Mckeeva who was elected to represent us? Remember the Ritz deal this is the same Mckeeva probably the only Caymanian to own a condo there, yet he was looking out for caymanians, how many have jobs there? Remember the affordable housing that the little pig blew the houses down not the bad wolf, this is the same Mckeeva who was leader then. Remember the one who gives out the wrong letter on mother’s day, this is the same Mckeeva. Remember all the status grants and more promised (did you see all the foreign nationals in the UDP motorcade this is the same MCKEEVA. Remember the two baptisms this is the same MCKEEVA. Remember the $70,000.00 plus owed to our Cayman Airlines when they were stapped for cash, this was and still is the same Mckeeva short of some pounds but still the same Mckeeva with all the same old tricks who says the better way forward is to elect him as leader with the rest of the United Devious Party. Remember the broken monopoly for C&W to allow Digicel to take over, how many caymanians lost jobs there compared to how many are hired by Digicel. The list could go on.
THERE ARE ALOT MORE THAN SEVEN DEADLY SINS COMMITTED BY MCKEEVA AND THE UDP, ARE WE FOOL ENOUGH TO VOTE THEM BACK IN??????
I wonder why each of the advances taken by Joey were all slightly below the amountthat would have necessitated Board approval.
This doesn’t sound very good to me. If you need an advance for $55,000 – then just say so; don’t take, for example, a $9999.00 advance because you can approve that yourself.
North Side- As you can see Joey is undecided on what career he wants. He wants to be a politician, and MLA member and now an employee or Turtle Farm again. If this doesnt tell you that tha man is unfocused and WOULD NOT be a good candidate for North Side, i dont know what else is! U need someone who can focus on your district and be satisfied with the quite and tranquility the district and job have to offer. Vote Ezzard Miller.. he doesnt seem to be into the fame and fortune.. AND he seems more dedicated that Joey.
Concerned Voter!
To the person who asked why Mr Ebanks had to pay the turtle farm back $55k, it was reported that he had taken numerous salary advances, totalling just over $53,000 and also owed the company a further $2,000 for turtle meat.
He paid this back in one lump sum on Friday, in cash.
A number of questions need to be discussed with this, each salary advance was less than the $10,000 limit that would have seen the advance need to beapproved by the board.
So, firstly, why is the limit $10,000? It’s a large sum of money for a company with the financial history of the turtle farm.
secondly, why was Mr Ebanks allowed to take so many advances (given that none had been over $10,000 he must have had at least six advances) without having to repay any of them.
Third, Where did Mr Ebanks get $55,000 in cash from? The turtle farm should probably have made a suspicious activity report to the relevant authorities. When anyone walks into a place of business with a sum of cash like that, it should trigger alarm bells.
Fourth, why was the credit controller at the turtle farm not chasing the $2,000 for the turtle meat? Such a large amount, which was probably after a staff discount, should not have been allowed to be outstanding for such a period of time without legal action being threatened.
Fifth, and this is pretty much rhetorical, how can someone who appears to have abused one position of power, expect the public to elect him to another?
What would be interesting is to see how the Turtle Farm declares the CASH PAYMENT to the bank seeing that any deposits over CI$15 K have to be declared by Law. Maybe this is a good time for FOI to be put into action and see who REALLY paid the money. If he had to get salary advances whilst workin at a CI$12,000 per month job- where now has he found the funds to pay this debt back which he DID NOT have to his disposal while gainfully employed?
The PPM MUST answer these questions or theor cry abour corruption will be facing them head on with no explanation
A GAME OF CHANCE.
Joey, You were suckered in, and by you know who!!!. Calling no names. I believe you were doing a good job at the Boatswain Beach. But remember, all that glitter is not gold..
This may not be your time now, however, knowing the person you USED TO BE I would say if you do not make it. Join hands with whomever do. Do not carry on this hateful Grudge that is taking place between politians and the people of this Island. You have to see whats taking place in Bodden Town to know what I am talking about.
I see just a few days a go one of the Ministers wife from this district of Bodden Town walked right pass me with a aour face and turned her head in the other direction vexed. "My word" Some people need to be careful, becaused GOD is not to be moked when they are asking for healthy favours. Remember you are a true Northsider and what is most important is having a good relationship with everyone. Those who make it and those who dont. Its just like gambling, winners and loosers, all is still the same thing "a game of chance"
WOW!!! is right! You know the saying that when we don’t know what to say, it’s best to say nothing at all! I implore the North Side voters – do not let this fox into the hen house….
I hope that the eyes and ears of the voting public are open and that it is clear to all that we have REGRESSED under the PPM. They campaigned on transparency (to that I say where are the audited financials) and not to make changes to Boards for the purpose of appointing their own supporters (which we all know has happened – and it didn’t matter whether they knew anything about the subject matter being discussed or not). I would also like to know how many hard working, QUALIFIED and decent Caymanians were forced into early retirement under thisgovernment. I can think of several right off the bat.
We serve a loving God and I believe he will have mercy on us come May 20th. If not, we’d better start weighing our options and get our travel documents in order.
Why did Joey have to pay the Turtle Farm CI$55k?
why would the turtle farm want him back? canpeople just decide to run for office and leave the company they are managing…and then if theu lose just walk right back in? all seems very opportunitist to me.
Are we missing something here. Didn’t a few months ago employees were stating they werent getting paid and when they presented their cheques they were given back to them at the bank. Mr. Ebanks was the Managing Director then, he got his salary and on top of that "borrowed 55,000" from petty cash? and now he is going back?????
How does one keep overlooking these things
Why does somebody who makes probably more than the average Tom, Dick and Harry need such big salary advances? How come the board has not been aware until now? How can the turtle farm continue pulling red numbers and sink into bigger holes every year but yet pay out salary advances to their staff? That doesn’t sit right with me at all! I am deeply disappointed and concerned………
Alltogether this is highly irresponsible of someone who aspires to be a member of our LA. I have no issues with Joey personally but he left his job without due notice as per the contract arrangement (did he suddenly decide to run?) and left substantial amounts owing accummulated over a period of time , obtained in what would appear questionable circumstances. WOW!!!!!!!!!!