WILLEMSTAD – The amount of Antillean guilders in circulation has plummeted by 73 percent over the past four months, dropping from 504.5 million guilders to 137 million guilders, according to Leila Matroos-Lasten, President of the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten (CBCS).
Since the end of March, the percentage of old currency in circulation has been steadily declining:
100% on March 31,
64% by the end of April,
45% by May,
32% by June,
and just 27% remained by the end of July.
Matroos-Lasten described the trend as a clear sign that the transition to the new Caribbean guilder is proceeding smoothly and according to plan.
“This decline is strong confirmation that the currency transition is going well,” said the CBCS director. She credited the population for their trust and cooperation during the transition period.
The Caribbean guilder is being introduced as the successor to the Antillean guilder, with both Curaçao and Sint Maarten phasing in the new currency under the guidance of the central bank.