USVI Legislature subpoenas WMA for sexual harassment settlement amounts

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, St. John, USVI- During Monday’s hearing of the Committee on Budget, Appropriations and Finance, lawmakers asked representatives of the Waste Management Authority about court judgments or settlements paid by the agency.

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.