by William Ysaguirre
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Jan. 23, 2025
Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September 2022 presented two options to Commonwealth territories which featured the monarch on their currency: update their banknotes to her successor – King Charles III, or choose some other national symbols or heroes. The Cabinet opted for the latter in 2023, and Central Bank governor Kareem Michael publicly launched the new designs for Belize’s currency notes in a short ceremony at the Belize City Civic Center on Thursday evening, January 23. The removal of the monarch in no way affects the value of the Belize currency; the exchange rate will remain the same against foreign currencies, pegged at a rate of 2 to one to the United States’ dollar.
Prime Minister, John Briceño and Governor of Central Bank, Kareem Michael displaying new printed designs of Belize’s currency notes
The Father of the Nation, George Cadle Price is featured on the $100, $20, and $5.00 notes, and National Hero, Philip Stanley Wilberforce Goldson is featured on the $50, $10 and $2.00 notes. Kareem Michael said the new currency notes may enter circulation by either June or July this year.
De La Rue International Ltd. will produce the new banknotes, and their principal banknote designer, Stuart Rost explained that the new notes will incorporate several new security features which will make them impossible to counterfeit. As with the current banknotes in use, the new notes will have a metallic ribbon embedded in the paper, and a see-through window which matches up to a corresponding image when the note is folded in half. The higher value notes, the $10, $20, $50 and $100 notes will also incorporate a holographic strip on the face of the note, with national symbols like the national bird – the toucan, the national flower – black orchid, and the Mayan mask at Lamanai. The holograph changes color constantly, depending on the angle from which the note is viewed, a feature which is impossible for counterfeiters to duplicate, and the design of this holographic strip is different for each denomination. The reverse side of each note features renowned Belizean landscapes. The paper itself will also reveal the value of the note as a watermark, when viewed under ultraviolet light. Knowing these features will make it impossible for ordinary citizens to be fooled by fakes.
The Governor General, H.E. Froyla Tzalam attended the launch, as did the families of both national heroes. “George Price led a revolution that was peaceful and constructive, he worked hard every single day to lead our nation to independence,” Prime Minister, Hon. John Briceño cited in his keynote address. “We are just making the Belize dollar more Belizean. This is one more way for us to remember the sacrifices of those that came before us,” he added.
The British colonial government had also imprisoned Philip Goldson and other nationalists on a charge of “sedition”, for championing Belizeans’ march to Independence and nationhood, the Prime Minister noted.
Financial Secretary Joseph Waight, of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment, delivered the closing remarks. The new banknotes celebrate our country’s heritage with enhanced security features to ensure the integrity of our currency, inspiring the public’s confidence in our currency.