The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Unveils the Designs for the Soon-to-be-released New Banknotes

A few days ago, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank unveiled the designs of the new banknotes that will honor Caribbean identity, leaving behind outdated motifs.

The decision was finalized in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on July 21, 2023, when the Monetary Council voted to remove Queen Elizabeth II's image and initially replace it with the ECCU logo. A public consultation period ran through December of that year, inviting citizens across member states to give feedback on the proposal and submit suggestions for new designs.

Caribbean banknotes have been issued by different bodies from 1950 to the present day, and over the years, they have carried various portraits of the Queen. In 2026, however, Caribbean people felt it was time for a change, time for their legal tender to reflect their own background, historical figures, and achievers, rather than a symbol from their distant past.

"The people called for our currency to honor our own heroes," said ECCB Governor Timothy N.J. Antoine, who recently revealed which personalities will be portrayed on the bills.

The Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Reveals New Portraits for the Eastern Caribbean Dollar

The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) confirmed that the new banknote series will feature the ECCU logo (surrounded by the flags of the eight member countries) along with 10 portraits in total, pairing two prominent regional figures/national heroes on each of the five denominations. The people chose to commemorate the founding fathers of their nations, historic characters who played key roles in the islands' independence and in consolidating their autonomy.

Among them are the Right Honorable Robert Milton Cato, father of independence and first Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; William Henry Bramble, Montserrat's first Chief Minister; and James Ronald Webster, who led the Anguillian Revolution in 1967. They will appear on the 5-dollar and 10-dollar bills.

Other founding fathers include Sir Vere Cornwall Bird Snr (Antigua and Barbuda, on the 20-dollar denomination) and Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw, first Premier of St Kitts, remembered for fostering national independence, supporting workers' rights, and expanding education and nationalizing the sugar industry. He will be featured on the 50-dollar note.

The EC$ 100 note will feature a portrait of Sir John George Melvin Compton, St Lucia's father of the nation, who led the country for 25 years and transformed its agriculture-based economy into a modern one based on tourism.

Other prominent figures who embody regional pride will also take center stage, including the Caribbean's “Iron Lady” on the 20-dollar notes. Dame Mary Eugenia Charles was the region's first female lawyer and Dominica's first woman Prime Minister (from 1980 to 1995).

Achievements in sports and science are important to the Caribbean people, and two major representatives will also be honored in these bills. Illustrating the 5-dollar note will be Sir Kirani James, the Grenadian professional sprinter who won his country's first Olympic medal at the London Olympic Games in 2012.

The 100-dollar note will carry a source of great pride: Sir William Arthur Lewis, Nobel laureate. This St Lucian economist received science's most coveted prize in 1979 for creating the Lewis theory of economic growth for developing countries. Lastly, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank chose one of its former governors, the Honorable Sir K. Dwight Venner, for the 50-dollar bill.

In 2027 (which is when the release is expected), the people of the Caribbean will see themselves represented by their heroes every day, by the outstanding minds and brave hearts who led them to independence, prosperity, and self-governance. For the Caribbean and for the world, these men and women are an inspiration and excellent examples of perseverance, academicism, innovation, courage, and commitment to social development.