Confucius wrote: “our greatest glory is not falling, but rising on every occasion”.
Madam Speaker – Hon. Patricia A. Deveaux was elected as the first female candidate of the Bamboo Town constituency and the second woman in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas to rise to the position of Speaker of the House of Assembly.
A woman of humble beginnings raised within the constituency of Bamboo Town, she is well known throughout the communities of Joan’s Heights, Victoria Blvd., Jumbey and Jacaranda Street among others. The daughter of self-made community merchants with their unique style of a “Mom and Pop shop”. She is the youngest of 10 siblings. She prides herself on establishing core family values –love, discipline and mutual respect for others.
She is also a mother of a beautiful and talented daughter. She served as a Senior Executive Secretary and later elevated to Chief Executive Secretary within the Ministry of National Security for 30 years. She maintained Administration of the Drug Enforcement Unit’s General Investigation Unit, Tracing & Forfeiture & Money Laundering Division. The Hon. Patricia Deveaux is a devoted Public Servant; an entrepreneur; a community activist and a loyalist to Bamboo Town.
She prides herself on commonality with the ordinary man. While traversing the streets of Bamboo Town. She is constantly reminded of how ordinary citizens can somehow find in their hearts the courage to do extra-ordinary things. This is what inspired her to enter front line politics.
She is often inspired by the likes of the late Dr. B.J. Nottage who perfected the ability to empathize with each and every individual he encountered. Like Tennyson Wells, the Mayor of Bamboo Town who exemplified impressive leadership.
“Women like me don’t often make it in front line politics. We dream about it and make kings – we design them, mold them and support them.” (Hon. Patricia Deveaux)
Her political acumen germinated when she was 13 years old from a common woman – Patricia Austin – a career public servant who worked tirelessly alongside Livingston Coakley. Larry Butler was her political father. Together, yet distinctively they transferred their political DNA to her. She cherished the profound brilliance of Ron Rolle – a fruit vendor by profession yet an avid genius in political history.
Her political genealogy is an accumulation of experience forged out of the grounds of Bamboo Town and its neighboring constituencies as a result of gerrymandering.
Politically, Patricia is a former National Vice Chairman and Chairman of eleven (11) years of the former Constituency of Kennedy as well as Bamboo Town! She worships at Life Changers Ministries where she is an owner and still resides on the cross boarder of Kennedy Subdivision and Zinnia Street, Bamboo Town.
“Born here, live here, still here and ain’t going nowhere!” (Hon. Patricia Deveaux).