$800k Per Year Spent on Post Office Lease

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The lease for the General Post Office has been made public. Minister of Transport and Housing Jobeth Coleby-Davis tabled the lease in the House of Assembly this morning, revealing the government is spending just over $820,000 a year to lease space at the Town Centre Mall for the General Post Office.

Jasmin Brown has the breakdown.

The tabling of the lease comes more than a year after the Minnis Administration promised to table it in Parliament during their term in office.

And that’s not the only cost being covered by the government. She notes the government is also incurring other associated costs.

The lease, which is binding until February 28, 2024, requires the government to pay any associated legal fees, including counsel and attorney costs, if litigation arises.

It also requires the government to self insure and indemnify the landlord against all loss or damage by fire hurricanes, sea waves, storms, strikes, riots, malicious damage, and such other risks, as the landlord shall deem desirable.

In October 2018, parliament passed a resolution for the government to enter into a lease agreement with the landlords of the mall for the relocation of the post office.

The mall is owned by former St. Anne’s MP Brent Symonette and his brother. Symonette resigned from cabinet in 2019 for reasons he said were unconnected to the matter.

The decision to relocate the operation was met with controversy as Symonette faced a conflict of interest claims, despite the fact that he declared his interest in Parliament.