Prime Minister, the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, addressing the audience at Project Dawn's graduation ceremony.

Thought provoking words of passion and encouragement could be heard throughout the Feature Address by the Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, at the Project Dawn Graduation Ceremony on Thursday, January 23rd at Illaro Court.

Speaking to some 235 graduates, Prime Minister Mottley commended each participant for their commitment to completing the various courses and for taking full advantage of the opportunities provided to them by the Ministry's Block Transformation Unit.

"In many instances, we are giving people a first chance and this is why we have come to be elected, to be able to make lives easier for each of you as far as possible," she added.

The Prime Minister also emphasised the need to focus more on the quality of the work being done, rather than on the specific profession.

"Once the work is decent and once the work is honest, then by all means do not let anyone distract you from doing that work. Anything in life that comes too fast goes just as fast," she warned.

PM Mottley also spoke at length about the other initiatives and programmes available to Barbadians, which were being provided by government agencies and ministries, including the Barbados YouthADVANCE Corps (BYAC), the Construction Gateway Programme, the National Transformation Initiative (NTI) and the Barbados Trust Loan Programme. She urged the graduates to take full advantage of these opportunities, many of which were not free in other regions of the world.

Her message also reinforced that each graduate should not settle with only the evening's accomplishment, but use it merely as a stepping stone to climb to higher heights while setting the example for their peers to do the same.

Offering a slew of inspirational words and personal experiences during her presentation, the Prime Minister told the graduates to chart their paths through hard work and purpose "... what each of you must have in life is purpose. Without purpose you can end up anywhere and end up doing anything".

In attendance at the inaugural Block Transformation Unit Project Dawn Graduation were members of Cabinet, representatives of the Diplomatic Corps, Heads of the partnering educational institutions, SJPI, BVTB and BCC, tutors, family and friends of the graduates and staff of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment.

The Ministry wishes to again congratulate all graduates and wish them nothing but the best in their future endeavours.