THA Chief Secretary: Tobago devasted by Morris murder

Chief secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Orville London has described James Morris, also known as “Mr Mt Pleasant,” as a “unique individual who lived a full life and made a lasting contribution to this island and its people.” Morris, 67, a building contractor, was  chopped to death during a robbery at his home in Mt Pleasant on Wednesday. There were no arrests up to late yesterday as Tobago police officers continue investigations. Police believe robbery was the motive for the killing.

In a statement yesterday London said, “The Tobago House of Assembly joins the rest of the island and country in extending condolences to the family, friends, numerous admirers and acquaintances of James Morris, who died in tragic and violent circumstances.” London said Tobagonians were “shocked and devastated at the brutality” of the act which ended Morris’s life. “We hope and expect that his perpetrators will be apprehended in the shortest possible time,” the chief secretary said. “We mourn his loss but we must also appreciate the life, the contribution and the example of Mr Mt Pleasant, who personified so many of the positive qualities to which we should adhere to in this challenging world.

Morris was a regular caller to radio and television talk shows. London said, “James Morris was a hard-working, ambitious and generous individual who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the island’s most successful and respected building contractors. “His assertive and incisive interventions on radio and television talk shows underlined his fierce loyalty to Tobago and his pursuit of the highest principles of integrity and basic decency.”