In a landmark moment for the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU), Saint Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew has officially unveiled a redesigned Eastern Caribbean (EC) $50 banknote, the first in a new series that replaces imagery of the late Queen Elizabeth II with portraits of the region’s most beloved national heroes and foundational leaders.
The historic unveiling took place Thursday, July 9, on the margins of the ECCB Monetary Council’s chairmanship transition ceremony held at the InterContinental Dominica Cabrits Resort in the Commonwealth of Dominica. The new EC$50 note carries dual portraits: one of The Right Excellent Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw, Saint Kitts and Nevis’ revered first Premier and a towering advocate for Caribbean regional integration, and a second of the late Honourable Sir K. Dwight Venner, former Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB).
This currency redesign marks a deliberate break from the region’s colonial monetary legacy, representing a major step toward centering Caribbean identity on its official circulating currency. For decades, EC banknotes bore the likeness of British monarchs, but a 2023 decision by the ECCB Monetary Council upended that tradition. During the body’s 105th meeting held July 21, 2023, members voted unanimously to replace the late Queen’s image with depictions of homegrown leaders from each of the ECCU’s eight member states, a move that followed months of public consultation across the bloc.
Prime Minister Drew, who served on the Monetary Council when the historic decision was approved, spoke of the deep significance of the moment. He called the new banknote a fitting tribute to Bradshaw, who dedicated his entire decades-long public service career to advancing the social and economic welfare of the people of Saint Kitts and Nevis while tirelessly championing the cause of regional Caribbean unity. “This redesign does more than update our currency,” Drew noted in remarks following the unveiling. “It reflects the shared identity, ancestral heritage, and collective aspirations of all people who call the Eastern Caribbean home.”
The new currency series is set to roll out across the eight ECCU member states in the coming months, with each denomination honoring a distinct nation-builder from across the bloc, cementing the region’s shift toward a fully decolonized, identity-affirming monetary system.