South Sudan’s new currency launched amidst concerns over omission of date
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July 19, 2011 (JUBA) – The new currency for the newly born nation of
the Republic of South Sudan was officially launched on Monday by
President Salva Kiir Mayardit, amidst citizens concerns that the date
on which the notes were printed was not indicated.
JPEG - 18.7 kb
Men from South Sudan display new currency notes outside the
Central Bank of South Sudan in Juba July 18, 2011. (Reuters)
Kiir was the first government official to change his old currency with
the new one at the premises of the Central Bank of South Sudan,
accompanied by the caretaker minister of finance and economic
planning, David Deng Athorbei, and the bank’s governor, Elijah Malok.
In his speech, President Kiir called on the citizens to change their
money. He also called on those that have banked their money abroad to
repatriate it to South Sudan.
The bank’s governor, Elijah Malok, on Sunday during his launch of a
book on the history of the Dinka community, downplayed the rising
concerns of the people on the lack of date in the new currency, saying
even the British currency doesn’t have dates. He said only the serial
numbers would be indicated on the notes of the currency.
A number of citizens in Juba that spoke to the Sudan Tribune welcomed
the new currency, but however expressed their concerns over the
“deliberate” omission of the date on which the currency was printed.
“I am happy that we now have our own currency despite some of my
observations in the design of the currency itself,” said David Lemi.
“However, my main immediate concern is why the deliberate omission of
the year 2011 in which the new currency was printed?” he inquired,
adding that the date was important to identify the notes printed in
that particular year should need arise in the near future to check on
any defect or counterfeiting on the currency of that particular year.
Nhial Tut wondered how the government and ordinary people would know
the serial numbers printed on notes in 2011 and those that will be
printed in 2012 and beyond.
“First, I ask myself why did the bank officials choose to print a
currency without a date in the first place when most of the nations in
the world including the US have inserted dates in their currencies,”
Nhial asked.
“Bank governor [Elijah Malok] should not compare this economically
fragile one-week old Republic of South Sudan to the British government
which has been there for centuries and already secured a stable
economy free from corruption,” he continued, adding that the people
would never know through endless serial numbers how much money is
printed in 2011 or which serial number will be printed first in 2012.
“I hope the government officials responsible for the printing of the
new currency left out the date in good faith, otherwise why would they
choose to omit the date of the currency?” asked Aleu. “When I looked
at the currency I couldn’t tell whether the notes were printed in
1972, 2005 or 2011,” he said, adding that the situation would easily
invite a foul play in the process of sequential printing of the money
and urged the officials to correct it.
(ST)
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