Humble beginnings are no excuse for a lack of ambition or success in life particularly since the country’s history of accomplishments has proven the opposite to be true, Minister of Social Services and Community Development Melanie Griffin told a packed group of persons attending the annual Nation Builder’s Award Ceremony at Government House on Monday.

“No doubt, many of our honourees came from humble beginnings, but they did not allow this to deter them in their quest to provide for themselves and their families and to improve their circumstances,” Mrs. Griffin said.

“They would have utilised whatever skills or resources they had available to them – be it through farming, sewing or cooking, to seize the limited employment opportunities to make ends meet while trying to put something aside for the future. Their lives clearly show that humble circumstances are no excuse for a lack of ambition or success in life and this is a lesson we need to instil in our children.”

Addressing the 16th Annual Nation Builder’s Awards ceremony, Mrs. Griffin said the awards allow the country to express appreciation to the honourees for their contribution to the “building of The Bahamas” in a significant and public way.

Launched October 31, 1997, the award was instituted to “pay homage to the hardworking everyday persons in our communities.”

Twelve people were on Monday presented with Nation Builder Awards.

They included: Elizabeth Butler, Telzena Coakley, Elvina Connell, Rejoiner Curtis, Sybil Curtis, Thelma Pinder, Louise Pople, Elizabeth Rolle and Messrs., Urban Bostwick, Howard John Barr, Deglanville Erasmus Panza and Pastor Curtis Moss.

Mrs. Hilda Johnson was credited with a posthumous award.

One hundred and seventy-six people have now received the award since its inception including Monday’s 13.

“While their names may never appear in history books, today’s honourees are people who continuously gave of themselves in service to their families, neighbourhoods and communities. They are people who made a difference,” Mrs. Griffin said.

“The paths that they would have journeyed many years ago present excellent and meaningful examples to our younger generation and demonstrate the fundamentals of decent, Christian, living and good citizenship that we should all strive to emulate.”