Church leaders challenge BOJ cheque phase-out

Two church leaders are taking the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) to court, accusing the central bank of overstepping its legal authority and breaching Jamaicans’ constitutional right to equitable treatment in its push to phase out cheques.

“The policy of the respondents to eliminate the use of cheques as outlined represents a direct assault on our right to effect transactions via the chequing system, which is integral to everyday life in Jamaica,” said Pastor Jeffrey Shuttleworth, one of the applicants.

Shuttleworth and Bishop Basil Hanson are seeking permission from the Supreme Court to pursue judicial review of a decision by BOJ Governor Dr Brian Langrin to discontinue the processing of cheques valued at $1 million or more through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) system.