Currency of the Island.
7/1969
1st Sch. |
10. |
(1) The currency of the Island shall be the decimal currency
provided for in this Part and shall consist of the notes and
coins in such currency issued by the Bank under this Act.
(2) The monetary unit, or unit of currency, of the island is the
dollar
(3) The denominations of money in the currency of the island
are the
dollar and cent.
(4) A cent is one-hundredth part of a dollar.
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Parity of the Jamaica
dollar
31/1966
S. 2.
31/1966
S. 2. |
11.
|
(1) The parity of the Jamaica dollar shall be fixed on such basis
as the Minister may from time to time, after consultation
with the Governor, by order, declare.
(2) An order made under subsection (1) may contain such
consequential, supplemental or ancillary provisions (including
modifications of this Act) as the Minister may consider
necessary or expedient for the purposes of this order.
(3) An order made under subsection (1) shall be subject to
negative resolution.
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Sole right to issue
notes an d coins.
18/1973
S. 7. |
12. |
(1) Subject to section 14, the Bank shall have the sole right
and authority to issue notes and coins in the Island.
(2) No person other than the Bank shall issue in Jamaica notes
or coins or tokens payable to bearer on demand, having the
appearance of, or purporting to be, or which are likely to
pass or be confused with notes or coins issued by the Bank.
(3) Any person who contravenes subsection (2) shall be guilty
of an offence and liable -
- On summary conviction in a Resident Magistrates Court to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both fine and imprisonment;
- On conviction in a Circuit Court to a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both such fine and imprisonment
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Exemption from stamp
duty on notes
|
13. |
Notes issued by the Bank shall be exempt payment of stamp
duties |
Denominations
and forms of notes and
coins 18/1973 S. 8 (a).
18/1973
S. 8 (c).
|
14. |
(1) The Minister may after consultation with the bank -
- approve ,subject to subsection (2), the denominations, form and design of the notes and coins to be issued by the Bank.
- (b) By order determine the standard weight and composition of coins to be issued by the Bank and the amount of remedy (or variation from the standard weight or composition ) which may be allowed in the making of such coins.
(2) The power of the Minister under paragraph (a) of subsection
shall be exercised on the recommendation of the Bank, so,
however, that where on any occasion the Minister disagrees
with a recommendation of the Bank he shall require the bank
to reconsider that recommendation.
If a recommendation acceptable to him is thereafter
furnished by the Bank, exercise the power aforesaid on that
occasion otherwise than on the recommendation of the
Bank.
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Legal tender.
7/1969
1st Sch.
12/1971 S. 2.
18/1973 S. 9 (a).
12/1971 S. 2.
18/1973 S. 9 (d).
|
15. |
(1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (2) and of section
16, a tender of payment of money if made in any of the
following respective notes and coins shall be legal tender -
- in the case of notes, for the payment of any amount
- subject to paragraph (e) in the case of coins of a denomination of not less than one dollar, for the payment of an amount not exceeding twenty dollars;
- in the case of coins of a denomination of less than one dollar but not less than five cents, for the payment of an amount not exceeding twenty cents ;and
- in the case of coins of a denomination of less than five cents, for the payment of an amount not exceeding twenty cents; and
- in the case of coins of a denomination exceeding twenty dollars for the amount of the face value.
(2) A coin that is bent, mutilated or defaced, or that has been
reduced in weight otherwise than by abrasion through
ordinary use shall not be legal tender.
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Demonetization of notes
and coins.
21/1978 S. 2. |
16. |
(1) The Bank shall have the power on giving three months
notice in the Gazette to call in any notes or coins on
payment of the face value thereof and any such notes or
coins with respect to which a notice has been given under
this section shall, on the expiration of the notice, cease to
be legal tender, but shall be redeemed by the Bank upon
such conditions as may be prescribed.
(2) A person shall not be entitled to recover from the Bank the
value of any last stolen, mutilated, or imperfect note or
coin. The circumstances in which, and the conditions and
limitations subject to which, the value of lost,stolen,
mutilated or imperfect notes or coins may be refunded as of
grace shall be within the absolute discretion of
the Bank.
(3) If the Minister considers it necessary or expedient to do he
may, by order published in the Gazette, direct that such
notes and coin! as may be specified in the order shall cease
to be legal tender as from dates so specified shall not be
redeemed by the Bank unless the Bank is satisfied that any
omission to redeem those notes or coins prior to that date,
arose from circumstances which, in the opinion of the Bank,
in their absolute discretion, were to excuse the omission.
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17. |
Repealed |
Contracts, etc., to be in
currency
7/1969
1st Sch. |
18. |
Every contract sale, payment, bill, note, instrument and
security for money, and every transaction, dealing, matter
and thing whatever relating to money or the liability to pay
any money which is made, executed or entered into, done
and had according to the currency of the Island and not
otherwise unless they are made, executed, entered into,
done or had according to the currency of some other
country, so, however, that nothing in this section shall
operate so as to invalidate a will or other testamentary
instrument. |
Functions of Bank in
relation to currency |
19. |
The Bank shall -
- arrange for the printing of notes and the minting of
coins for circulation in Jamaica;
- issue, re-issue and redeem such notes and coins;
- arrange for the safe custody of unissued notes and coins and for the preparation, safe custody and destruction of plates and paper for the printing of notes and dies for the minting or coins.
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20. |
Repealed. |
Reserve assets
in relation to
currency issue
18/1973 S.11 |
21. |
(1) The Bank shall hold assets of an amount in value s
sufficient to cover the value of the total amount of notes
coins for the time being circulated.
(2) Repealed
(3) For the purposes of subsection (1) such assets shall
include -
- gold coin or gold bullion
- foreign currency notes or coins
- money at call or on deposit with banks outside Jamaica
- securities including Treasury bills, issued or guaranteed by any government other than the Government of Jamaica
- securities issued by international financial institutions of which Jamaica is a member and which are denominated in a currency other than the currency of Jamaica.
- any other foreign assets which are denominated in currencies which are readily converted into gold or approved foreign currency
- Special Drawing Rights allocated to Jamaica pursuant to section 1 of Article XXI of the Fund Agreement.
(4) For the purposes of this section-
- the value of the coins in circulation shall be such
portion, not less than seventy-five per centum, of
value of coins issued by the Bank and not redeemed
as the Minister shall specify by order.
- Fund Agreement has the meaning assigned to it in
section 2 of the Bretton Woods Agreement Act.
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Power of Minister to
make regulations
18/1973 S. 12. |
22. |
The Minister, after consulation with the Bank, may make
regulations -
- prescribing anything required to be prescribed under
this part or paragraph (b) of section 30.
- (b) with respect to any matter relative to currency and
coinage not provided for in this Act.
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