Waste Management Authority Executive Director Roger Merritt Jr. Photo: V.I. LEGISLATURE

Chief Legal Officer Florence Kahugu initially rebuffed Committee Chair Senator Donna Frett-Gregory’s inquiry, saying that a settlement that arose out of mediation was “not subject to disclosure."

Senator Frett-Gregory rejected that assertion, saying, “That is government money.” 

Apart from the settlement being funded by taxpayer dollars, the senator noted that “the ask [from this agency] continues to be “give us more."

According to Ms. Kahagu, the agency “would like to have a subpoena regarding that information,” to which Senator Frett-Gregory gladly agreed. “Sure,” she responded, before asked the Legislature’s legal counsel for advice on how to proceed.

Although the party with whom WMA negotiated the settlement agreement was not disclosed in the public hearing, sources close to the issue have informed Consortium journalists that this relates to the claims of harassment leveled against WMA Executive Director Roger Merritt in a lawsuit filed by former employee Nadine Noorhasan. The civil complaint, filed last August, which named both WMA and Mr. Merritt himself as defendants, detailed shocking allegations of harassment, intimidation, retaliation and mismanagement, stemming from Mr. Merritt’s alleged failed pursuit of a romantic relationship with his subordinate. 

By September 1, 2022, Ms. Noorhasan’s lawsuit was no more, dismissed with prejudice after her attorney Lee Rohn filed first to dismiss the matter without prejudice, and subsequently to dismiss with prejudice, effectively killing the proceedings in local courts. The request to dismiss came after WMA offered to settle the suit by paying the plaintiff an undisclosed sum of money. 

That sum, which sources close to the matter have suggested may total over $200,000, will soon be a matter of public record.