Puisne Judge yesterday he was following in similar footsteps to his brother.

Mr. George Meerabux is Chief Justice of Belize and Mr. Justice Meerabux is now on the same path in Bermuda.

But the new Puisne Judge refuses to prejudge his own future and will not get into discussions on the laws or the crime trends on the Island.

What he is keen to discuss is how his varied legal career has put him in good stead for his new post.

Mr. Meerabux, 56, has seven years experience in the Bermudian legal system, having worked as Parliamentary Counsel in the Attorney General's Chambers.

He said: "During my time in Bermuda I have worked in areas of civil aviation law, shipping law, criminal law and telecommunications law. I have been involved in a whole variety of legal work.'' Born in Georgetown, Guyana, in September 1937, his early studies were confined to his native country.

In 1967 he started at the Council of Legal Education in England and was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1968. He then studied his degree course at Holborn College of Law in London.

Mr. Meerabux's first exposure to parliamentary practice was as a Parliamentary Officer in the House of Lords between 1963-69.

In the early 1970s, he gained a post graduate certificate in legislative drafting in Canada. Later he majored in management and human resources development.

He became a magistrate in Guyana in 1971, and then moved on to the Ministry of Justice. In 1977 he became a law draftsman for the Attorney General in the Bahamas.

The following year he took over as head of the drafting division of the Trinidad and Tobago Law Commission. He held the post for six years. During that time he was also acting chairman of the Law Commission and an associate tutor at the Hugh Wooding Law School.

In the two years prior to his arrival in Bermuda, Mr. Meerabux worked as legal advisor and legal draftsman to the Commonwealth Secretariat in England. In that period he also worked as Law Revision Commissioner assigned to the Ministry of Justice for Tonga.

He said: "My post qualification experience which covers a period of 24 years is substantial and varied.

"Work in those positions has been stimulating, intellectually demanding, challenging and infinitely varied and such work has required formulating policy with senior administrators, drafting primary and subordinate legislation and advising Government and its agencies on a broad array of legal issues.

"I have substantial experience in and exposure to a broad array of legal subjects and substantial experience in administering the law in a just and proper manner.'' Mr. Meerabux and his wife Hyacinth have four children: Simone, who is also a lawyer; Joanne, a research scientist at St. Bartholomew's Hospital; Lindsay, a Metropolitan Police officer in Croydon; and Lawrence, an accountant.

JUDGEMENT DAY -- Mr. Justice Meerabux is sworn in as a Puisne Judge by Acting Governor Mr. John Kelly.