Changing the Face of Belize’s Currency

Move over Queen Elizabeth the Second, because Cabinet has approved for the Central Bank of Belize to print new currency notes and instructed that those new notes bear the image of Belize’s national heroes George Price and Philip Goldson. For decades, Belizeans have come to accept the design of our currency, but will the change lead to the devaluation of the Belize dollar? Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde says that it is about time and that the new printed bills are expected to be in circulation before the end of this year.

Cordel Hyde

Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister

“Oh that’s a big deal. We are mighty proud of that decision. I mean it is ultimately about independence, it is about sovereignty, it is about asserting our right as an independent nation, asserting our sovereignty, asserting our independence, asserting our identity, our nationhood. It is about our people and ultimately, I mean the queen was on our money for way too long and now if we don’t have the queen, you’re gonna have the king? It’s an opportunity for us to do something different, for us to make a clear statement to our people that we have the right to self-determination, we have a right to assert ourselves, we have the right to lead ourselves. And ultimately the agreement is that our two national heroes will be put on the money – the late Right Honourable George Price and the late Honourable Philip Goldson.”

Reporter

“And when can Belizeans expect the new money is circulation?”

Cordel Hyde

“I think later this year. I think there is some procedural stuff, there is some requirements that Central Bank will have to deal with but I think it is sometime later this year.”

Reporter

“How do you reassure people because they are afraid that once you remove the queen, the money will be devalued?”

Cordel Hyde

“Man we too wah-wa sometimes yo know. In the Caribbean they do this; they have this. In the caribbean they have had their national heroes on their money for some time in some of the countries. We are going to be okay, we’re gonna be okay.”