The Central Bank of the Bahamas is planning to introduce a government-backed pilot digital currency, Jamaica Observer reported June 22.
Speaking at the Bahamas Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Conference earlier this week, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Bahamas, K Peter Turnquest, made the announcement, saying that the development of a fully digital payment service is “the way forward for this era of governance.” Turnquest continued: “A digital Bahamian currency is especially important for the many family islands as they have seen many commercial banks downsize and pull out of their communities, leaving them without banking services.
As an island nation, where transportation can be an inconvenience for many, especially the elderly, and costly, we must offer financial services digitally and securely.” Turnquest also advocated for applying blockchain on a nationwide level in order to transform the island of Grand Bahama into the “digital paradise of the region.” He reportedly expects the government to launch a pilot program of issuing blockchain-based education certificates for graduates of the National Training Agency, as well as inspect the ways blockchain can be applied for business licences, passports, and national insurance.
In past months, the country signed memoranda of understanding with Binance Group and blockchain project Shyft.
The former considers establishing funding for educational programs related to fintech and blockchain startups while per the latter, Shyft network will spend up to $10 million on blockchain technology education and economic development.
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Another tropical island country is set to get its own digital currency. The Bahamas’ Central Bank governor John Rolle yesterday confirmed that the digital Bahamian dollar will be rolled out by the second half of 2020.
At Counsellors Limited’s Exuma Business Outlook event on October 25, Governor of the Central Bank of The Bahamas, John Rolle, announced that it would be considering early experimentation with Project Sand Dollar, the Bahamas’ CBDC project, in the Abaco islands.