WILLEMSTAD - Stores and businesses in Curaçao are not obligated to accept payments made with 100-guilder bills. This was stated by Finance Minister Javier Silvania in response to questions from Parliament. Although these bills are legal tender, there is no legal requirement for businesses to accept them.
The minister acknowledged that counterfeit 100-guilder bills are in circulation on the island. This information has been confirmed by the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten, which subsequently informed the community through publications in local newspapers, press conferences, and social media about how to recognize fake bills. Additionally, the Central Bank has distributed videos explaining step-by-step how to verify the authenticity of 100-guilder bills.
The minister further noted that counterfeit bills have also been detected in the past on Sint Maarten, but no reports of fake bills in circulation on that island have been received this year. He emphasized that the Central Bank takes this issue seriously and will contact businesses that have indicated they do not accept 100-guilder bills to inform and guide them.