MyVueNews Staff Writer

Basseterre, St. Kitts, 24th January, 2019 (MyVueNews.com) – The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) will begin introduction a new series of bank notes made on what is called a polymer material that is stronger than existing paper notes.

Notes $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 all will have a vertical orientation instead of the horizontal orientation that now exists.

According to Rosbert Humphrey, Acting Director, ECCB’s Currency Management Department, the $50 polymer note will be the first to enter circulation in May or June, the others except the $5 note will be circulated in August and September. The $5 note will be put into circulation in 2020.

While more expensive than the existing paper notes, Humphrey said the notes will last substantially longer.

Importantly, visually impaired persons will be able to comfortably use the notes.

Humphrey explains, “There are some raised bumps at the top corner of the bank notes so you can feel and know which denomination you have in your hand. It’s mainly for the blind and visually impaired persons so they can feel and know. On the fives, we have a circle, on the tens we have an x, a rectangle on the twenties, a triangle on the fifties and a square on the hundreds.”

A new anti-counterfeiting feature in the form of a holographic false strip will be found on the $20, $50 and $100 notes which are more likely to the subjects of counterfeit operations.

Photo: The new notes will have a vertical orientation.