Dear Editor,
The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank deserves credit for finally removing the image of Queen Elizabeth II from our banknotes. That decision reflects a region increasingly confident in telling its own story. However, the new designs represent a missed opportunity to tell the whole story of who we are.
Instead of presenting a balanced reflection of our history, the new currency is dominated by politicians, prime ministers and government leaders. Many of these individuals undoubtedly made important contributions to their countries, but is political office the highest standard by which we define our legacy?
Our history did not begin with independence. It was forged generations earlier by enslaved Africans who resisted oppression, fought for freedom and laid the foundation for the societies we enjoy today. Across the Eastern Caribbean, there were brave men and women who led slave revolts, organised resistance and paid with their lives for daring to dream of liberty. Yet they are nowhere to be found on our currency.
Where are the heroes of the 1733 revolt in St. John? Where are the leaders of Fedon’s Rebellion in Grenada? Where are the countless freedom fighters from St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines whose courage changed the course of our history? Even where names have been lost to history, their sacrifices deserve recognition.
Currency is more than a means of exchange. It is a classroom that passes through millions of hands every day. It tells children who matters. It shapes how a region remembers its past. By filling our banknotes primarily with political figures, we risk sending the message that leadership begins in government rather than in the struggle for justice, freedom and human dignity.
Our region is rich with scientists, artists, athletes, educators, labour leaders, writers, musicians and cultural icons whose contributions transcend politics. A truly representative series of banknotes should celebrate the full spectrum of Caribbean achievement, not overwhelmingly favour one profession.
The ECCB consulted the public, and that process should be applauded. But consultation should also lead to continued reflection. Future redesigns should strive for greater balance by recognising those whose courage, creativity and sacrifice helped build the Eastern Caribbean long before there were parliaments, cabinets or prime ministers.
If our money is to tell our story, then let it tell all of it.
Yours faithfully,
A Concerned Caribbean Citizen
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Exactly, had the same sentiments. I nominate Prince Klass!
Concerned Caribbean Citizen:
Give thanks for saying this so well.
But how can you write such a beautiful line as, “Currency is more than a means of exchange. It is a classroom that passes through millions of hands every day”, and not say your name?!
I don’t give a crap who’s name is on the dollar bill, it’s just paper, just like the men who are on them are just men.
There are way more important things to battle..like finding a way to make life more affordable for millions across the Caribbean.
Many people work all their lives in the islands and just end up dying from hard work and stress..working on mental health and human well being is even more vital across the Carribean.
Bring back that fresh smile on the faces of the youth, instead of having them walking around like zombies.
Like I said, and I stand by it..I don’t give a rats arse who’s name is on some dollar bill or a piece of paper, because I only own the money I work for.
Get better pay for workers..bring down the cost of living.get better health care and mental care,then we can talk about some damn name on a dollar bill.
This is a good and true observation. Political figures are not the only individuals who make contributions to our islands, and they heavily dominate the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) banknotes.The decision regarding who appears on regional currency is a reflection of political choices, governance structures, and historical framing by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) Monetary Council. While the OECS currency always leans towards political architects, other parts of the Caribbean have taken a different approach to honoring resistance leaders on legal tender. Jamaica for example, their currency features their National Hero who directly resisted slavery and colonial opposition…..Nanny of the Maroons and Sam Sharpe.
@Islanman26: We don’t give a rats arse what an expat that lives in Florida has to say about the Caribbean.
Stay on Trump’s dick Florida boy. 🖕🏿
It is the royal family monies and the politicians on the dollar are pass marionette of the USA and UK, eugenia Charles and v.c bird helped the USA to invade Grenada and murdered maurice bishop, I could remember how they thrusted Eugenia to the camera on the white house lawn on CNN saying she need help in Grenada, a sovereign nation that she has nothing to do with, because she is a Dominican and the prime minister of Dominica who helped violate another country sovereignty.
The colonialism behind the dollar will not allow any black militant socialist on the dollar, or else I do call for tim hector to be on that dollar .
Prince Klass all day long.
If he wasn’t betrayed, Antigua arguably would have moved in a better direction that would have seen the indigenous population prosper to this day ✊🏾
Islanman26
Same mentality:
The mentality that puts whomever on the currency is the same mentality that is required to do things “ ….like finding a way to make life more affordable for millions across the Caribbean”.
Much a do about nothing..nothing wrong if our founding fathers are on our dollar bills…the Caribbean is more than slavery, our founding fathers built new independent nations against all odds! America and other nations have their founding fathers on their dollar notes which most often than not were politicians…not one thing is wrong with that..they were the ones in the trenches negotiating and fighting to build a fledgling nation…only thing , VC Bird should have gotten a note for himself with the contribution he made to Antigua and in uniting the Caribbean community…
@ Islanman26
You are so right.
Caribbean Institutions are failing its people.
The first school at University of The West Indies was its medical school as an arm of University College London.
After over 50 years we are still dependent on the Cuban Medical Brigades.
When we were forced to discontinue employment of the Cubans .
Rather than creating a large Nursing School and placing it in steroids at UWI Five Islands to ramp up and supply the OES with Nurses; we import Nurses from Ghana.
Instead the leaders are planning (and likely to be named (The Sir Steadroy Benjamin School of Law at UWI Five Islands
What news media in Antigua and Barbuda or the Caribbean for this matter exposed this travesty?
Just another institution failing its people.
For the working poor who dominate these islands, the dollar bills passing through their hands so quick; they don’t observe and neither do they care whose image is these currency.
We are region who makes beggars of our people.
What this also shows Antigua and Barbuda is not an anomaly; and it’s not be a surprise.
The entire Caribbean is being miseducated and we do not know our history as shown locally by the way we treat the Antigua (and maybe Barbuda Archives.
We have gone from being enslaved to being a dependencies of beggars.
Our institutions are failing us. and we don’t even know and many do not care so long as these new notes are credited to thru accounts.
@Elread: Black socialist? Are you out of your Mind..
Look White socialist did to the countries they lead.
Look what Black socialist turn South Africa today. THEY GOT A wealthy and well development country to manage..Look what happened in South Africa after whites hand over full control of everything to black socialist over there. Take a close look in every single aspect of South Africa from 1965 to 1995 compare it to 1995 to 2025…Look at everything ok..
Black socialist hahahahaha…Run from that ideology. I can add Zimbawe example also, I can add many African nation as pure example how full goverment of black turn extremly corrupt and incapable to unite and do better for their regions. Stop blaming the past, nothing justify the corruption and the lack of skills to manage a country.
Do I really care who is on the bank notes? It doesn’t change the value of it and even if it were blank then it would serve the very same purpose.
We really care too much about the silly everyday things.
@ Belle,
What founding fathers? It appears that what you know is limited to the information propagated by politicians social media and bias news portals
Are you referring to the individuals who said One from Ten leave Nort?
The same ones in the trenches negotiating but fraught to build a fledgling nation…as you write are those in my view who line their pockets and those of their dependents.
Tan Tan NuNu the leader of the Maroons, and King Klass as well as well as Toussant Overture are the true heroes. The dominos were already falling.
Among the few Caribbean islands that took up arms and fought is little Anguilla, who ironically is still an Associated State with a British Representative sitting in their House of Parliament.
The Anguillans fought gun battles and invaded St. Kitts in the armed fight against St. Skitts and British domination
Ronald Webster and and his team of fighters stood down the British Navy. That’s what armed fight is about.
They attacked at night and hid in the day. Their women brought them good in the bush at night. These women collectively should be on one of the currency
By your definition, Ronald Webster should be one of every two individuals on any of these notes. And these women collectively should be on one of the currency.
Learn your history. It’s not what propagated by political interests and social media platforms.
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