At the opening of the National Toshaos Conference (NTC) yesterday, President Irfaan Ali announced that a toshao’s stipend, which was $30,000 per month, will now be increased to $45,000 while Deputy Toshaos will now receive $30,000. Senior councilors’ stipends were also increased from $15,000 to $25,000, and regional councilors from $10,000 to $30,000. For years Indigenous leaders have advocated for an increase to the “meagre” stipend of Toshaos, saying that the service rendered by Indigenous leaders to their communities and to the government far outweigh the remuneration handed out by the government.