Basseterre, St. Kitts, March 13, 2017 (SKNIS): Chief Justice of The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC), Dame Janice Pereira, along with Attorney General, Minister of Justice, Legal Affairs and Communications, the Honourable Vincent Byron, has paid tribute to former Governor of the Associated State of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla, the late Sir Probyn Inniss, who passed away on March 12, 2017.
At a special sitting of the ECSC to mark the opening of a second court room at the Sir Lee L. Moore Judicial and Legal Complex in Basseterre, St. Kitts, on March 13, the court paused for a minute of silence to pay its respect to one of its very own.
“Before we take the adjournment, I think it is only appropriate that I join on behalf of the judicial officers, members and staff of the court to offer our condolences to the family, the widow and other family relatives of Sir Probyn Inniss,” Dame Pereira said. He was “a person who is a real son of the soil and a stalwart within the federation and the wider region of the Caribbean. Our sincere condolences.”
Attorney General, Honourable Vincent Byron, informed the court that Sir Probyn had passed away, while simultaneously paying tribute to the former governor.
“I must first bring to the attention of the court and at the same time pay tribute to a distinguished son of the soil, Sir Probyn Inniss, who passed away over the weekend. I would want to offer sincere condolences to his wife, Lady Inniss, and his daughter Angela, a member of the legal fraternity, and other family members,” the attorney general said.
“Sir Probyn was appointed Governor of the Associated State of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla in 1975 and demitted office in 1981. He has been one of our most senior practitioners, being called to the bar in the early 1970’s and he has held office as President of the St. Kitts and Nevis Bar. He has made a significant contribution to the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis and would through his writings and lectures on our history, on our heritage, and his work with young people, will be missed,” Attorney General Byron added.
Lawyer Keisha Spence offered condolences to the family of the late Sir Probyn on behalf of the St. Kitts and Nevis Bar Association.
Sir Probyn Ellsworth Inniss, MBE, was born in 1936. He was 80.