“A restoration of the original intent.” Speaking at the launch of the Bank of Jamaica’s (BOJ) new polymer banknotes, Minister of Finance Dr. Nigel Clarke says the intention is to acknowledge Jamaica’s history while adding the necessary improvements. 

The Minister makes mention of the Bank of Jamaica’s efforts to contact his ministry, initially calling for the introduction of the two thousand dollar note. Adding, the existing family of notes are more susceptible to counterfeiting.

The notes’ improvement also benefits the visually impaired community, as Minister Clarke regretted their struggles with handling the existing ones. This as he highlights the similarity between two of the existing notes, that often creates confusion.

The material of the new notes will provide increased durability and can be supplied by multiple banknote producers, therefore opening the doors to a variety of suppliers. This is only the second time in Jamaica’s history that a new series of banknotes has been issued.

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