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Shirley Street Post Office Renamed, John V. Saunders Post Office

Wed, Apr 8th 2026, 11:14 AM
Caribbean News

Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Phillip Davis said for generations, the post office has been more than a place where letters are sorted and stamps are sold.

“It has been a lifeline for connecting families and loved ones across the islands, carrying news of hope from shore to shore,” the Prime Minister said.

“There was a time in our nation’s history when mail arrived by boat, sometimes only once a month. Then it became twice a month. And over time, through commitment and a vision for growth, a national network emerged, ensuring that every island, every settlement, and every Bahamian could be reached.

“That kind of progress does not happen by accident. It was built by people who believed in the quiet and powerful work of service.  John Saunders was one of those people,” the Prime Minister said at the renaming of the Shirley Street Post Office to John V. Saunders Post Office on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

The Prime Minister said Mr. Saunders gave 40 years of his life in service to the institution.

He said after all these years, the post office is still a pillar of the nation’s communities.

“It serves an essential function for thousands and thousands of Bahamians.

“Even in this digital age, formal correspondence by mail still plays an important role. As much as technology has evolved, you cannot email someone a package or text them a box. Technology hasn’t gone quite that far yet.  And until it does, our Post Office remains the most accessible means of receiving and sending such packages and correspondence.”

The Prime Minister noted that some people look at the post office and see something to be shut down.

“They see the Post Office Savings Bank as a relic to be done away with. That is a very dangerous oversight for any would-be leader to be guilty of.”

He explained that more than 35,000 Bahamians hold accounts there. New accounts continue to open across the country, including in the Family Islands.

“There are pensioners, working families, fishermen, farmers, and small business owners who built their financial security through this institution because it was there, serving our people when other options were not.

“Those who speak loosely about dismantling this service should consider the human impact of what they are proposing.”

The Prime Minister said this is why this Government administration is investing and expanding the services on offer.

“This administration raised the deposit cap from $6,000 to $10,000.

“We committed to sustaining a five per cent interest rate at a time when the commercial banks are offering less than one per cent: the same commercial banks that left our islands hanging with no options for banking.”

He said these banks are private institutions and operate on the basis of profit.

The Prime Minister said, “The only thing that getting rid of the Post Office Savings Bank would accomplish is the destabilization of our Family Island communities, the unemployment of 98 workers serving our Family Islands, and the stranding of thousands of unbanked Bahamians with nowhere to go.

He said, “So, closure is never an option, which is why we are committed to expanding, modernizing, and strengthening the post office to continue to meet the needs of Bahamians on every island.”

Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Phillip Davis said for generations, the post office has been more than a place where letters are sorted and stamps are sold.
“It has been a lifeline for connecting families and loved ones across the islands, carrying news of hope from shore to shore,” the Prime Minister said.
“There was a time in our nation’s history when mail arrived by boat, sometimes only once a month. Then it became twice a month. And over time, through commitment and a vision for growth, a national network emerged, ensuring that every island, every settlement, and every Bahamian could be reached.
“That kind of progress does not happen by accident. It was built by people who believed in the quiet and powerful work of service.  John Saunders was one of those people,” the Prime Minister said at the renaming of the Shirley Street Post Office to John V. Saunders Post Office on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.
The Prime Minister said Mr. Saunders gave 40 years of his life in service to the institution.
He said after all these years, the post office is still a pillar of the nation’s communities.
“It serves an essential function for thousands and thousands of Bahamians.
“Even in this digital age, formal correspondence by mail still plays an important role. As much as technology has evolved, you cannot email someone a package or text them a box. Technology hasn’t gone quite that far yet.  And until it does, our Post Office remains the most accessible means of receiving and sending such packages and correspondence.”
The Prime Minister noted that some people look at the post office and see something to be shut down.
“They see the Post Office Savings Bank as a relic to be done away with. That is a very dangerous oversight for any would-be leader to be guilty of.”
He explained that more than 35,000 Bahamians hold accounts there. New accounts continue to open across the country, including in the Family Islands.
“There are pensioners, working families, fishermen, farmers, and small business owners who built their financial security through this institution because it was there, serving our people when other options were not.
“Those who speak loosely about dismantling this service should consider the human impact of what they are proposing.”
The Prime Minister said this is why this Government administration is investing and expanding the services on offer.
“This administration raised the deposit cap from $6,000 to $10,000.
“We committed to sustaining a five per cent interest rate at a time when the commercial banks are offering less than one per cent: the same commercial banks that left our islands hanging with no options for banking.”
He said these banks are private institutions and operate on the basis of profit.
The Prime Minister said, “The only thing that getting rid of the Post Office Savings Bank would accomplish is the destabilization of our Family Island communities, the unemployment of 98 workers serving our Family Islands, and the stranding of thousands of unbanked Bahamians with nowhere to go.
He said, “So, closure is never an option, which is why we are committed to expanding, modernizing, and strengthening the post office to continue to meet the needs of Bahamians on every island.”
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