By Belize Live News Staff: Belize is set to introduce new currency notes featuring the images of National Heroes George Price and Phillip Goldson, the Central Bank announced last week. The move, initially revealed by the Prime Minister earlier this month, aims to celebrate the country’s rich heritage and enhance security measures.
The new notes will honor recipients of the “Order of National Hero”, the Right Honourable George Cadle Price and the Honourable Philip Goldson. While the faces on the currency will change from the monarch to national heroes, the Central Bank stressed that this change will have no impact on the value or exchange rate of the Belizean dollar.
“The Central Bank assures the public that the value of the Belizean dollar remains strong,” the press release stated. “Since 1976, the Belize dollar has been pegged to the US dollar at a rate of 2.00 to $1.00.”
The new designs will be unveiled in early 2025, with the banknotes entering circulation later in the year. A transition period will precede the circulation, allowing the public to familiarize themselves with the new notes.
The Central Bank highlighted that the new family of notes will incorporate enhanced security features to combat counterfeiting, ensuring the integrity of the currency.
This shift reflects Belize’s ongoing journey towards greater national identity and recognition of its own historical figures, following its independence from Britain in 1981.