Dominica Bar Association Issues Statement on the Passing of Anthony J.B. Commodore

It was with deep sadness and shock that members of the Dominica Bar received the news of the passing of Mr. Anthony J. B. Commodore, a fellow member of the Dominica Bar and a friend to many of us.

Mr. Anthony Commodore was called to the Dominica Bar on the 24th day of October 1997 and worked as a State Attorney in the Attorney General’s Chambers of the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica for many years. In or about the year 2000, Mr. Commodore earned a Master of Laws degree in Maritime Law. Mr. Commodore became an attorney at a mature age and after he had worked in the Public Service as a Customs Officer for a number of years. He left the Public Service in or about 2005 to work as the in-house counsel at the Dominica AID Bank where he remained for some years until he established his own private legal practice known as Elijah Law Chambers in 2011. Mr. Commodore was in active private practice at the time of his death.

Those of us who knew the person, Anthony Commodore, collectively and with unified voice agree that:

he was a God-fearing and prayerful man who was very committed to the Catholic faith;
he was the consummate family man who placed great stock on the total well-being of his immediate and extended family;
his wife, Bernadette, or “Bendo” as he affectionately called her, who predeceased him not long ago, was his soul mate He openly and constantly declared his love and admiration for her and always said he could not imagine life without her;
he never forgot, never was ashamed of and always mentioned the fact that he came from very humble beginnings;
he was very sensitive to the plight of the poor and socially less fortunate in society. He would go out of his way to try to assist those persons and do what he could to alleviate their plight;
he was a man of integrity and a man of his word who constantly strove to do the right thing;
he represented his clients with passion and persistence;
he was a man of very strong convictions. One could not easily, if at all, move him away from his views;
he was unpretentious and did not hesitate to express his opinion regardless of who would be or was offended by it or how unpopular it was;

he detested anything he perceived to be “unfair” and would speak out against it at every opportunity;
he was a kind, caring and compassionate individual. When he spoke to a person for the first time in any day, he would always inquire about that person’s well-being and the well-being of their family members; he was always quick to offer words of comfort and encouragement when they were needed;
he was fatherly to young persons;
he was humorous and enjoyed a good joke;
he loved speaking patois and relished every opportunity to use patois expressions;
he was always respectful to and of others;
he lived a life of purpose and service: he loved God and prayed that everything he did would positively touch the lives of his loved ones, the members of his community, his clients and his

Anthony Commodore, known to his family and close and long-time friends, as “Pip”, is not a man who will be forgotten. It is not hard to imagine that he left an unforgettable and indelible impression on all who interacted with him.

The Dominica Bar Association extends our heartfelt condolences to the children of Mr. Anthony Commodore: Charlan, Daustina and Elleen Commodore; the niece of Mr. Commodore, Ms. Joanne Commodore, who is the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security and Home Affairs; the siblings, other nieces and nephews, relatives, friends and loved ones of Mr. Commodore, including his in-laws, Norris, Lestrade and Jualine. We cannot begin to imagine the loss and grief that these loved ones are experiencing at this time, in particular his children who lost their beloved mother less than a year ago. We acknowledge their pain and pray that the wonderful memories their relationship and experiences with Mr. Commodore created will bring comfort and healing to them in the coming months.

The legal fraternity has lost a dear colleague and a great friend. The Dominica Bar Association mourns with the family of Mr. Anthony Commodore. May his soul rest in eternal peace.