Maraj: His Law of the Sea knowledge unsurpassed

FORMER Foreign Affairs Minister Ralph Maraj said former permanent secretary Lennox Ballah was someone who possessed a “wealth of knowledge” in foreign affairs, and whose experience will be sorely missed. Ballah, 74, died at 7.30 pm Saturday at the Community Hospital in Cocorite. According to reports, the former permanent secretary fell ill in February.

He was recently appointed a judge of the Law of the Sea Tribunal, which is headquartered in Germany. Speaking with Newsday yesterday, the former minister, Maraj, expressed shock and sadness at the news of Ballah’s passing.  Maraj recalled that while he was Foreign Affairs Minister, he was well acquainted with the former permanent secretary. “He was very pleasant and someone who you could learn from. He possessed a wealth of knowledge,” Maraj stated. He said Ballah gained significant international recognition in the field of foreign affairs, due to his expertise on conventions pertaining to the Law of the Sea. The former minister said while there were others who had knowledge in this area, Ballah’s knowledge was “unsurpassed”.

Born  August 26, 1929, Ballah received his education at the Fyzabad Intermediate School, Naparima College, the Government Training College, University College of the West Indies, London University, Middle Temple and Columbia University. He held teaching positions at Fyzabad Intermediate School (1951-53), St Benedict’s College (1957-58) and the Government Secondary School in Ghana (1958-62).  Ballah joined the Trinidad and Tobago Foreign Service in 1965 and served as counsellor to this country’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations from 1967 to 1971. He was also a qualified barrister-at-law.

In August 14, 1996, Ballah was elected president of the Council of the International Seabed Authority, a new arm of the United Nations, for a period of one year. Ballah was the nominee of the Latin American and Caribbean States and got the nod over the nominee of the western European and other states, Germany’s Joachin Koch. The Council’s responsibilities includes monitoring activities regarding the exploration and mining of the deep seabed. Prior to his death, Ballah had resided in Westmoorings. Funeral arrangements will be announced later.