Birds and fish replace queen on Fiji currency

I wonder why, after so many years of independence, a nation - a sovereign republic - would still use the image of its former coloniser.

Read for yourself:

The new Fiji 10 dollar and an old 10 dollar note (bottom) featuring the queen.

Fiji dropped the image of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II from a new range of bank notes and coins unveiled on Wednesday, replacing her with plants and animals native to the Pacific island State.

Fiji President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau said the new currency was a milestone for the former British colony, which became independent in 1970 and declared itself a republic in 1987 following a military coup.

Nailatikau said the royal family had featured on Fiji's currency since 1934 but it was time for the country to move on and introduce new coins and notes, which will enter circulation in January.

Images on the polymer bank notes include the rare kulawai lorikeet, the beli fish and the tagimoucia flower, while the coins depict flying foxes, parrots and the banded iguana. - AFP


Source.