Jamaica’s Finance Minister Dr. Nigel Clarke says the new banknotes will arrive in the island by the first week of December.
Clarke stated in a tweet on Tuesday that automated teller machines (ATMs) are being adapted to facilitate the distribution of the new notes to the public.
He also stated that the people will be made more aware before the banknotes are issued publicly and informed that the process should take six months.
Earlier this year, it was announced that the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) is to spend more than $1 billion to produce the new banknotes, which includes a new $2,000 note which bears the images of late former prime ministers Edward Seaga and Michael Manley.
Former prime ministers Hugh Shearer and Donald Sangster will grace the upgraded 5,000-dollar note.
At the same time, national heroes, founding fathers, and cousins Norman Manley and Sir Alexander Bustamante will be the highlight of the upgraded 1000-dollar banknote.
National heroes Sam Sharpe and Nanny of the Maroons will share the upgraded 500-dollar note, and national heroes Paul Bogle and George William Gordon will appear together on the upgraded 50-dollar note.
Jamaica’s first national hero, Marcus Garvey, will appear alone on the upgraded 100-dollar banknote.
According to Clarke, the new notes are part of the BOJ’s efforts to refresh the currency in circulation to save money by increasing the durability of banknotes, improving security to reduce the risk of counterfeiting, improving features to better meet the needs of the visually impaired, and ensure that the color and other distinctions between banknotes of different denominations are clear.
