Chat-bout.net - Who Do You Want on the $5000 Bill?

Who Do You Want on the $5000 Bill?

Cultural stakeholders say that musical icon, Bob Marley, should have been on the new $5,000 bill and not former prime minister Hugh Shearer, whose impact wanes in comparison to that of the reggae legend.

Instead, some see the khaki-coloured note as a political counteraction to the $1,000 bill which bears the image of Michael Manley, former prime minister and PNP politician.

"I can't understand why someone who has done so much for his country has been side-tracked," Cleveland Brownie, chairman of the Recording Industry Association of Jamaica told Splash in reference to Marley. "If we were to measure the impact of all politicians and other cultural icons, I think that Bob Marley would exceed all the others."

Brownie regards Marley as a hero for placing "Jamaica on the map as a cultural destination" and for enhancing Jamaica's culture.

Shearer never had such a global appeal as Marley or even that of humanitarian Mary Seacole, stated Institute of Jamaica executive director Vivian Crawford, who spoke in a personal capacity.

"Bob Marley or Mary Seacole are the persons who I would want to see on (the note), and with due respect Honourable Hugh Shearer is an outstanding Jamaican but for this, I went international in determining my opinion."

"The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) declared One Love, song of the century and Time magazine called Exodus album of the millennium. I need not say more," stated Crawford about classic Marley releases. Regarding the lesser known Mary Seacole, viewed as Jamaica's Mother Teressa, Crawford said that England will unveil a statue to her memory.

"I would honestly say as a poet, Bob Marley should have been on the $5,000 bill," said Poetry Society of Jamaica host and director Daniel 'Maa' Brooks. "I think even Seaga over Hugh Shearer."

Brooks added that Marley had done so much for "us" financially and culturally, that to not deify him in money would be disingenuous.

Head of Edna Manley School of Drama Eugene Williams went against popular opinion and chose Louise Bennett-Coverly over Marley. He said Shearer could never compare with either. Williams reasoned that during the current crisis Jamaica needs to emulate heroes that focus on education and culture, "and I can't think of a better person than Louise Bennett".

"If you say Marley, you join the crowd and can't go wrong internationally and locally. He is the most well known cultural hero," said Williams. "But I would choose Louise Bennett-Coverly because of what her work is about. It's about language which is a critical issue with development and education," he said.

Hugh Shearer, Bob Marley, Louise Bennett

Shearer served Jamaica as prime minister from 1967-72. He led Jamaica during its most prosperous period of economic growth since independence - growing at some six per cent a year versus the anaemic one per cent during the last 20 years.

Yesterday, the Planning Institute of Jamaica told Splash that the new notes would not trigger inflation, "because old notes would be retired". That position was agreed on by financial analyst John Jackson: "It would not affect inflation because you will substitute new notes with old ones. It's not an increase in money supply."

Asked whether retailers would bump up prices in an attempt to get more for items close to but under $5,000: "I don't see that happening because it could have happened with one thousand bill. Also currently money is so tight that people don't have that option."

On the upside, Jackson said the new note would save BOJ printing costs: "It is going to cut the cost of BOJ to print notes because it costs the same to print one, but currently they have to print five instead of one."

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