David Morris racks up over 140K in salary & allowances
The Acting top cop of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force is taking home a base salary of $90,084.00 per annum at Government salary grade 18, step 11. In addition to the base salary the contract UK officer racks up telephone allowance of $1,296.00, entertainment at $5, 184.00, inducement of $37,000 and national security of $7,500.00 in allowances.
To add to the package the Acting Police Commissioner also receives from tax payers a travel allowance totaling $3, 600 per year while still driving a government vehicle, after most senior civil servants and heads of some departments were stripped of their government vehicle and told they could not have both, i.e. receive a travel allowance and still drive a government vehicle.
Therefore, the total package is some one hundred and forty four thousand, six hundred and sixty four dollars ($144,664.00) per year, a package that is more than all current sitting Permanent Secretaries, the Solicitor General, Executive Director of the BVI International Finance Centre, and the Auditor General according to information obtained by this news site.
The information on Mr. Morris’ salary and allowances was obtained via a question posed at the first session of the first sitting of the second session of the second House of Assembly held on Monday 3rd.September 2012 to the Premier Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith from third district representative Hon. Julian Fraser RA.
It was also stated that there are 10 police officers from the UK on contract paid for by tax payers’ money. However, out of the 10 four are said to be doing sensitive work so their identities cannot be revealed to the public according to Dr. Smith.
David Morris' power before he was Acting Commissioner
An article published by this news site dated May 9, 2011 and titled ‘Who is in charge of the RVIPF, is the Deputy too powerful?’ spoke to many vexing issues in the Police Force.
Many police officers inside the RVIPF had came forward and told this news site that there is a rift between black officers vs white and local officers vs expatriate officers which has affected the morale, and team working relationship of the organization.
For example, according to sources, the then Deputy Commissioner of Police David Morris is said to at the time have had all the power with allegedly everyone in the organization reporting to him.
One senior officer told Virgin Islands News for the article that it “seems like Commissioner Reynell Frazer is useless and none existent”.
“Could you imagine an organisation where when you go to the Commissioner on matters that he should address he sends you to the Deputy Commissioner? another officer told this news site at the time for the article May 2011 article.
Is race a factor?
According to information reaching Virgin Islands News Online from officers who were at meetings, they have alleged that there might be subtle discrimination, as in a few meetings, when then Deputy Commissioner Morris had allegedly said that he needs the United Kingdom Officers as the local police officers do not “have the skills and capabilities like his UK officers”.
One officer further told this news site for the same article that Mr. Morris is always pushing a Nigel Nivens, a UK officer who is the Senior Investigative Officer, and telling the other local officers of Mr. Nivens’ alleged police skills that no other local officers have to investigate crime. However, another police officer told Virgin Islands News Online for the article that when crime occurs at night ‘we never see Nigel but he is the SIO”.
Another issue that is causing low morale in the force, especially amongst middle and senior management, is the lack of promotion. According to police sources, the three UK police officers who are all contract officers have been assigned to established posts within the RVIPF. This means during their contractual time other officers cannot be promoted as the post is filled by them.
Following the article then Deputy Police Commissioner Morris censored this news site by banning us from receiving press releases from the RVIPF media distribution list including the removal of all Virgin Islands News Online personnel E-mail addresses from the distribution list.
The censorship sparked outrage by the progressive and legal class and the matter did not reach to court. A few weeks later the ban was lifted and Mr. Morris did exclusive interviews with this news site in an attempt to repair the relationship.
Full article that caused the fall out published on May 9, 2011 can be accessed by clicking the link below:
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37 Responses to “David Morris racks up over 140K in salary & allowances”
Yes I agree with you point on the current paygrades for locals with MBA degrees etc. But don't come talking bout NY cops! That is a different country and tens of thousands of miles away and a different population and all that. So it doesnot apply.
Bottomline, we are getting raped...AGAIN, by the white man! Why doesn't England pay these 11 officers from England? I bet if England had to pay, their salaries wouldn't be that high.
Mr Morris won't be entitled to a BVI government pension a a non-belonger...
Let me see if I can go job hunting my Masters and see what them paying! Nothing less than 100K I want because I am now WHITE!