The legal fraternity in Dominica has gathered to pay tribute at a special sitting of the High Court to Pat Edgar Henry.
October 25, 2023, L/R Pat Henry, Dell-Anne Jno. Lewis and Brenton Henry called to the Bar
Pat Edgar Henry was called to the Dominica Bar on October 25, 2023, by Justice Colin Williams and practiced in the chambers of the West Indian Commercial Law Practitioners. Pat was a young attorney with great potential, and his passing is a loss to the legal profession and the greater community that he served.
Justice Colin Williams, who presided over the special sitting, said that he never imagined that less than two years after presiding over the admission of Pat Henry as a “barrister and solicitor” of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, he would be presiding over a “Special sitting” of his passing.
Dell-Anne Jno-Lewis, who was among the three persons admitted to practice law in Dominica by Justice Williams in October 2023, was moved to “tears” as she spoke at the special sitting.
“It is with a heavy heart I bid him farewell…gone too soon, my dear friend,” she stated in tears.
Jillane Prevost described the late Pat Edgar Henry as an “entertaining and charming young man, a brilliant star.”
Kondwani Williams, his cousin, said that Pat Henry was “flamboyant and had an audacious approach to life”.
“He was fearless and lived in the fast lane of life. He had an obsession with motorcycles. He was good at repairing motorcycles and was versatile; however, he was no stranger to accidents and somehow always escaped; that’s why he was nicknamed “Iron Man,” Williams stated as he struggled to hold back the tears.
Pat, he stated, travelled the globe and had “a huge impact on people’s life, did not hesitate to share…was a generous”.
“I am still paralyzed and surprised by his passing; it is difficult for us as a family. Never thought that I would cry so much…I must admit that I will miss him; his loss is a major blow to the private sector. He was a gem of a person; we have lost an angel,” Williams stated.
According to him, Pat Edgar Henry was “on a mission”. “He was industrious, talented, and ambitious.”
Justice Davidson Baptiste told those gathered at the “Special Sitting” that “life is short and precious” and must not be taken lightly.
“From what I have heard, he lived a full life for his short time on earth, friendly and well-rounded young man. The circumstances surrounding his death must have been shocking,” Justice Baptiste stated.
As he, like all those who spoke before him, expressed condolences to the family at the passing of Pat, he said, “Sometimes you wonder when it will stop, but time is short and precious on earth.”
Pat Edgar will be laid to rest at the Roseau Roman Catholic Cemetery on April 14, 2025, after a funeral mass at the Fatima Church in Newtown.
As we reflect on his life, may his memory be a call to continue the work he so passionately undertook, and may his pursuit of justice inspire a new generation of legal minds.
The court also observed a one-minute silence in his honour.
