Sobion

PROFESSOR Keith Sobion, principal at the Norman Manley Law School, died yesterday at the University Hospital of the West Indies. He was 56.

Sobion's son, Darian, said his father died just before 10:00 a.m. but did not give a cause of death. He was admitted to hospital last week.

The Trinidad and Tobago Express reported last week that Sobion was admitted to hospital on February 4. It quoted his son, Justin, as saying his father fell seriously ill following a dental procedure.

Posts held

A Trinidadian, Professor Sobion had been head of the Norman Manley Law School since 1996. Previously, he served as Trinidad and Tobago's Attorney General from 1991-1995 in Prime Minister Patrick Manning's Cabinet.

Since 2002, Sobion was a consultant to CARICOM on the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

John Leiba, president of the Jamaican Bar Association, said his death leaves a void.

"His experience in terms of procedure, especially on matters of government, was invaluable. It is a great loss, especially for students," Leiba said.

Sobion was a graduate of the University of the West Indies Law School. He was once an assistant lecturer at the university, and also taught at the Hugh Wooding Law School in his country.

He was a strong supporter of the CCJ, which has been proposed by CARICOM leaders to replace the British Privy Council as the last court of appeal for regional cases.

In January 2004, Sobion rapped the United National Congress party in Trinidad and Tobago, and the Jamaica Labour Party, for opposing the CCJ. He described their stance as 'unfortunate'.