The Tribune

By RIEL MAJOR

Tribune Staff Reporter

rmajor@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia “Mother” Pratt will receive an international humanitarian award from the New Pan-African Movement (NPAN) for her commitment to community building throughout the years.

Mrs Pratt will be awarded the 2019 Nelson Mandela Humanitarian Lifetime Achievement Award and a NPAN certificate as a 21st Century Pan-African “change agent”.

The award is given to notable individuals in recognition of their accomplishments as well as their exceptional service to a country.

Mrs Pratt, pictured right, said she feels humbled and believes there are other deserving Bahamians who could have won the award, but she gives “God thanks for her space”.

“I’m humbled by it… you wonder sometimes if your own people remember and so when international and other countries can recognise you it’s really a humbling experience. I’m so thankful and I’m grateful to the people who nominated me as well,” said Mrs Pratt.

She added her aim in life was to “help others because we only pass this way once”.

“If you don’t help someone, your life would be a failure. If someone can say, because she came and spent time with me, I’m a better person... that’s what is important.

“The Bible says it’s more blessed to give than to receive so whenever you have a giving heart you will receive. It will come back in so many different ways and so it’s about helping others and reaching out to those less fortunate than you are,” Mrs Pratt said.

In a press release issued last week, Princess Moradeun Adedoyin-Solarin of Nigeria said this special award is in recognition of all of Mrs Pratt’s hard work over the years.

“Also, your selfless efforts to help others through your relentless contributions in your community and beyond, whereby bringing about a better quality of life for everyone. All these links into the key role your country, [the] Bahamas, played in breaking the chains of Apartheid in South Africa and the eventual freedom of our global hero Dr Nelson Mandela, the ‘Madiba’ himself,” the statement read.

Alizé Utteryn, CEO and founder of AlizéLaVie Media, nominated Mrs Pratt to the New Pan-African Movement for the award.

The statement added: “After our due research and findings, with very strong support from one of our NPAM Ambassadors Dr Debbie Bartlett of CEO Network and the Economic Emancipation Movement, EEM, we have been able to identify your numerous achievements as an astute politician in community development and nation building over the years.

“We discovered you as a phenomenal woman of substance, articulate personality, kind and amiable character, elder stateswoman, philanthropist and global thought leader.”

The NPAM board of trustees is made up of authentic royals and descendants of African monarchs across Africa.