Members of the judiciary in Dominica, police colleagues, family and friends gathered at a special sitting of the high court in Roseau on August 1, 2017, to pay tribute to the late Gene C. Pestaina who died last month after a battle with cancer.
Pestaina, an attorney for many years, demitted office from the post of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Dominica in 2013. He also served as DPP in Antigua for several years.
Among those who paid tribute to Pestaina was president of the Dominica Bar Association, Mary Roberts, who told the court that the OECS Bar at a recent meeting after his passing had held a one minute silence.
“He labored well, he served his generation and his people well as a police officer and a lawyer. He was honest and forthright and had stern qualities,” Roberts said.
Chief Magistrate, Candia Carette George, was unavoidably absent but sent a note saying that Pestaina had the greatest impact on her life as a lawyer.
Athlyn Nesty who worked with Pestaina, said, in a very emotional speech, “Mr. P often challenged us and said to our faces what he needed to say good or bad. He loved challenges in court and held his job with pride,” Nesty said. She also reminisced about her time working with him as he was “filled with clever and useful antics.”
DPP Evaline Baptiste said Pestaina’s ethics were “unquestionable”. “He was reliable and sterling,” she said. Michael Bruney described him as “blunt and outspoken” and said Pestaina was “practical in his approach to the practice of law.”
To Wayne Norde, Pestaina was “a teacher who gave us a chance;he spoke his mind and had no hidden agendas and (would) say to you whatever he felt in your face.”
Also paying tribute to the late Gene Pestaina were Henry Dyer and retired police officer Hansel Valerie, now a sitting magistrate. Valerie who was a schoolmate of Pestaina at the St. Mary’s Academy and also served with him in the Dominica Police Force described him as “a man of courage” and said Pestaina faced death much as he faced life with “courage and strength.”
Presiding Judge Bernie Stephenson recounted her first encounter with Pestaina in 1982 at law school and then 22 years later in Dominica as a Judge and Pestaina as DPP. She said he guided her address to the jury since she was new to criminal law and had never before addressed a jury.
She asked to court to stand and observe a one minute silence in his honour. “He was efficient and effective and I can say that he was the most effective DPP in the history of Dominica,’ Judge Stephenson said. She asked that the recording of the proceedings be transcribed, bonded and certified and then handed to his widow, Judith Pestaina, so as to have a lasting memory of what happened in the courtroom.
Pestaina will be laid to rest on August 2, 2017, in Portsmouth at the family plot after a funeral service at 11 am at the Roseau Cathedral Chapel.
RIP Gene you were a great person. you inspired me to be who I am today. My sincere condolences to your family . May the good Lord hold you in the palm of his hands and protect you until you meet our beloved son in heaven. Kathy and I will always keep you in our hearts and in our prayers. We pray that Judith and her two children will get lots of support, love and and strength from the family. Kathy and I promise to keep in touch with your family. ❤️??❤️
Pesto as i would always call u. I remember our days working together in Antigua. May u rest in peace my friend.
How allu know what they did and did not do. Everything doesnt have to be advertised.
RIP sir
Condolences to the family
DNO, who do you refer to as “members of the judiciary?”
There’s a d/can creole song which says: In hypquite say in diferente bete. It goes on to name animals.
Now we have Law men & women jumping on the band wagon. of hypocracy.
They’re paying tribute to Gene, but they never paid the man his pension. R.I.P Gene. Condolences to his family and friends.
Bunch of Hypocrites with Human faces,
Not ever, these suckers( not the jelly in the Jar) Never did these suckers ever get together to fight for his money. The sad part is they represent the law. They are silent to all the ills facing our society &talk about aiding corruption. They should review the case in the Trevy Bruney & QC Allyene.
Monitors for Tim until he gives the okay to print certain posts : those who are the gate keepers, am indeed surprised,, taken aback, bewildered that the my comments passed the moderation muster this time around .
Congratulations on seeing the light or upon becoming an iota enlightened.
Am keeping the faith that your enlightenment continue to grow in a positive direction . Too many a time your decisions are wanting. I understand the difference between studiation vs true education ,the latter is needed to perform in the skills needed in partial journalism. Failure to continuously educate selves will only
have you guys placing posts in the Moderation bin before deleting.
Good luck team-Education continuously/forever. otherwise the reading public will continue to reach for the popcorn in awe of your dispensation.
Well many of them don’t research historical cases. many were not even born some of these up- starts.
Many are on the waiting list to become passport agents. There is a shorty -lawyer seen on 60 minutes chating away for his commission. Is Con-Mannie an agent too? lol I know one who ditched his partner to work for the some Russians . This one was an agent long b4 this CBI programme became the mode to make the principal part of their monthly income. Commissions on titles etc ain’t cutting for most. So sooner or later we gonna have a kind of red clinic for lawyers lol! LMAO real loud. Yesterday, these hypocrites dressed up and headed to practice their other art form hypocrite. Poor Judith. She not foolish ,she just playing along.
Little & Little Levi, were they present? Next month it will be a forgotten gesture. They’ll be performing elsewhere on a different stage. Bloody hypocrites.
Gene pestaina mother was a great mother and teacher to all of us in the village , she struggled to send all of her children to high school . Gene pestaina was always a great friend and student in school , that never changed throw out his entire life . I could always count on him for great advice . May his family live a long time and enjoy a happy life , that’s what he would want. The deaf of a friend is equivalent to the loss of a limb . We go to the grave of a friend saying ” a man is dead “, nothing endears so much a friend as sorrow for his deaf .
Hendricks, my friend; take your time to write, ok? I see many Dominicans on facebook highlighting the school they attended, such as “Convent high; Grammar school; Roseau Academy and so forth. But a great number of them cannot read with understanding, cannot spell, and cannot write. Maybe these “high schools” need to be sued. Jean is dead, so yes, he is now “deaf.”
Champion among champions , good by my friend and school mate, you will be well received by our great ancestors . May your family have long life .
R.I. P. well deserved. Condolences to his wife and family and friends. A true hero, son of our soil, service to Country, second to none. A straight Shooter, what you saw is what you get from MR. Pestina, often immitated, never duplicated, a rareity in sectors of our World today, wished all his contributions were highlighted in the Prime of his life, gone never to be forgotton. Eternal Rest granted unto you in Heaven Comrade.
Yea
all well and good , nice tribute
but i sincerely wonder if all those opinions and impressions of him were uttered to his hearing , (or were they) if it wouldn’t have meant more to him in his time of need .
just as i was privileged to do so on my last visit , once again I extend flowers to you Sir and condolences to the family .