By Darron Pickstock – When I was nineteen years old, I was a busboy. Some days I swept floors, other days I washed
dishes, and every day I dreamed that life could be better. I didn’t come from wealth or influence.
What I had was faith, hard work, and the words my grandmother always told me “Keep your
word, stay humble, and never forget where you came from.”
There were days I wanted to give up. I worked as a janitor, scrubbing floors after long shifts.
Then came a break the chance to study law. To afford it, I worked nights as a security guard. I
remember those lonely nights, standing under a flickering light, trying to stay awake while
reading my textbooks. I wasn’t just chasing a degree. I was fighting for a future that didn’t seem
made for people like me.
My story is the story of many Bahamian families who keep this country going the hotel workers,
the bus drivers, the cashiers, the fishermen, the teachers, the nurses. It’s the story of mothers who
get up before sunrise, fathers who work two jobs, and grandparents who stretch their pensions to
help their children get by. It’s the story of ordinary people doing extraordinary things every
single day just to hold their families together.
I am running because I believe in the power of hard-working Bahamians. I believe that if we
build together, we can make life a little easier, a little fairer, and a lot more hopeful for families
who deserve better.
Over the past few years, our country has started to move forward again. This government has
created new jobs, raised the minimum wage, introduced free school breakfasts, and reduced
Value Added Tax (VAT) to make life a little more affordable for working families. We’ve seen
major investments in education, training, and small business development and more Bahamians
are finally getting the opportunities they deserve. But we all know there’s still more to do.
Progress has started now we must build on it and make sure it reaches every home, every worker,
every family.
That’s why I’ve put forward a plan for Golden Isles. I want to build a Golden Isles Community
Centre where families can gather, seniors can stay active, and young people can learn new skills.
I want to start a Youth Mentorship and Leadership Network to help our children find their path
and launch a Micro Fund to help small business owners and entrepreneurs get started.
I want to expand my free online tutoring initiative, Student Head Start to include other BJC and
BGCSE subjects. I want to launch my literacy initiative, Read Across Golden Isles and work
with the community to implement, Stars of Golden Isles, an initiative to reward and celebrate the
successes of students living in Golden Isles. I want to use my 6 Point Plan to partner with
Adelaide Primary to continue the school’s excellent GLAT performance. And I want to launchthe Golden Isles Skill and Opportunity Registry to encourage employability and skill
development.
I will fight for better roads, brighter streetlights, safer neighborhoods, and more spaces for our
children to play and grow. And when issues arise, I’ll be right there through a Constituency Help
Desk and Rapid Response Team to ensure that issues and concerns are addressed expeditiously.
All I’m asking for is a chance and the trust of the voters of Golden Isles.
Give me the chance to serve you – to fight for your children, your household, and your future.
If you give me that chance, I’ll never forget who I’m working for. I’ll be in your corner every
day, listening, helping, and pushing for progress.
I will remain focused because I know what it means to start with nothing and still believe in
something.
I’m asking for the trust, support, and vote of the people of Golden Isles.
