-says $9.6b in carbon credit revenue distributed to 248 villages
Defending the 2025 budget, Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Campbell-Sukhai, on Tuesday highlighted efforts being made in job creation and youth empowerment and said that the Com-munity Service Officer (CSO) programme is not a “tool for political brigades”,
Addressing the National Assembly, the Minister discussed what she described as the “reinvigorated” Community Support Officers Programme, which provides young Amerindians aged 18 to 35 with the opportunity to contribute to community development. Minister Campbell-Sukhai emphasized that, contrary to past criticisms suggesting the programme was politically motivated, the young participants are nominated by their respective village councils, with no role for the Ministry in the selection process.
“The CSO programme is not a tool for political brigades. It’s about empowering our young people,” Campbell-Sukhai asserted. She further explained that the programme, which was discontinued by the previous government in 2015, was revived under the current administration, with the promise of returning over $3.5 billion to Amerindian youth in stipends, as well as investing in their training.
The Minister pointed to several success stories, such as the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mahdia, both former CSOs, who have now assumed leadership positions in their region. Additionally, Toshao Colleen Agard from Kimbia, who became a teacher through the CSO programme, according to the Minister, exemplifies how young leaders are using the programme as a springboard to greater achievements.
Campbell-Sukhai also tackled the subject of land tenure, criticizing the lack of land demarcation during the tenure of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and detailing her government’s efforts to address this longstanding issue. She posited that from 2013 to 2015, significant strides were made in land titling with financial support from Norway, but the progress stagnated between 2015 and 2020.
“In 2020, we resumed our efforts, investing over $4.6 billion to address land titling. We’ve successfully titled and demarcated lands for villages such as St. Monica, Paramakatoi, Red Hill Extension, and Karasabai,” Campbell-Sukhai said, emphasizing that her government’s work continues, despite challenges such as floods and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Minister pointed out that annual budgetary allocations for land titling have been consistently included, ensuring that Amerindian communities have the necessary resources to secure their lands. She called the continuation of these efforts a testament to a “working government.”
In her speech, Campbell-Sukhai also highlighted “significant investments” in infrastructure and development for Amerindian communities. Between 2020 to 2024, the Minister says the government allocated over $9 billion for 523 projects, with a further $3 billion dedicated to fulfilling commitments made by the National Toshaos Council (NTC). In contrast, she said the previous administration’s record on infrastructure was far less impressive.
“Under the previous government, there was no investment in these communities. Our administration has invested heavily in transport, with 226 vehicles provided for Amerindian communities, compared to just 33 during the previous administration,” the Minister stated. In addition, the current government has provided over 269 boats and engines to riverine communities.
During her final five minutes, Campbell-Sukhai also spoke about the government’s participation in the Low Carbon Development Strategy and the transfer of carbon credit revenue to indigenous communities. “To date, $9.6 billion has been distributed to 248 villages, empowering communities to invest in infrastructure such as roads and other vital services,” she said.