Morris: Minority staff unpaid, Scarborough office unfit

THA Minority Leader and representative for Darrel Spring/Whim Kelvon Morris says his office staff have not been paid their January salaries.

He also claimed there have been no “meaningful efforts” to regularise their terms of engagement from short term to contract, even though they have been working continuously for over a year.

Morris raised these concerns and others on Monday, saying there are several issues affecting the office in uptown Scarborough.

“After one year, staff at the Office of the Minority Leader have been in a quandary as it relates to their status of employment,” the statement said.

“Employees are without a contract although they have worked for more than a year, which in contract law makes these employees entitled to contract benefits.

“Even worse, staff have not been paid by the Assembly Legislature for the month of January 2023. These matters have been raised, however, solutions are still outstanding.”

Morris later told Newsday that upon assuming office, he inherited a building that was unused for an entire year owing to the six-six deadlock arising out of the January 2021 THA elections. There was no Minority Leader during that period.

He said the building, in its current condition and location, is unfit and unsuitable for public business.