Belize has taken a “significant step” towards removing remnants of colonialism by replacing the image of the late Queen Elizabeth on its dollar bills with national heroes.
Unveiling the new banknote designs late Thursday, Karim Michael, the Governor of the Central Bank of Belize, said that in addition to the security and anti-counterfeiting features, “the new family of notes also allows us to recognize our heritage and Allows to celebrate the rich history of Belize”.
The new notes will go into circulation in June. Instead of an image of the queen, the new $100-, $20- and five-dollar bills will feature George Cadel Price, the Central American country’s first prime minister and considered the father of independence from British rule. Fifty-, 10-, and two-dollar bills will bear the likeness of Philip Goldson, a founding member of the nation’s major political parties. People’s United Party And United Democratic Partywho is celebrated as a champion of national pride.
The prime minister of Belize, Johnny Briceau, said the new images “exemplify our national heroes who are symbols of our resistance”.
Speaking to local media, he said: “I know some people will say, ‘We don’t have a queen. [on the note]. ‘ Well, the Queen is dead, and it has nothing to do with the Belize dollar.
“Although the main reason for this change was to incorporate new technological advancements for security features and stability in the new notes, it is another way for us to remember the sacrifices of those who came before us. Every time we release our new When we look at the faces of our national heroes on currency, we are seeing history, we are seeing leadership, we are seeing the great work that has led us to where we are today.
There was a mixed public reaction to the new notes, with some questioning and others expressing concern about the impact on the value of the Belize dollar.
But for those campaigning to remove King Charles as head of state for Belize, removing the British monarch from the country’s currency is a major milestone in the country’s journey to becoming a republic.
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Belizean political scientist Dr. Dylan Vernon, a former ambassador to the European Union and former chair of the country’s Political Reform Commission, said the removal of the Queen’s effigy was long overdue, making it a small but important piece of unfinished business. It is a symbolic move. of decolonization.
He said: “I have long argued that symbolic changes – such as renaming streets, putting a national hero on currency and replacing the king with Belize’s head of state – are necessary but by no means sufficient. Constitutional and political reforms are essential for more meaningful determination.
“The optimistic angle is that while the new currency notes will have no impact on their lives, in addition to increasing national pride, fewer Belizeans will see the British monarch as the head of state of Belize in broad constitutional decision-making. will be afraid of a more significant move to change as part of the “
