Basseterre, St. Kitts, March 04, 2019 (SKNIS): The number of cases that go to trial in St. Kitts and Nevis is likely to be reduced following the introduction of the 40 hour Mediation Skills Programme 2019 on Monday, March 04, at the Royal St. Kitts Hotel.
The training runs from March 04-09 and will see 25 persons from the Federation trained to mediate in conflict resolution.
Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, the Honourable Vincent Byron, hailed the initiative as important and assured all of government’s support of the programme.
“We in the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis recognize that this is a very critical programme that we are embarking on in terms of the training of potential mediators. We in the government have determined that we would want to give the mediation process all the support necessary,” said the attorney general.
Janine Harris-Lake, High Court Registrar, welcomed all in attendance and described the training as relevant.
“This training is quite timely as presently we only have two functional mediators for both St. Kitts and Nevis. This is a very special occasion for the judicial system in the Federation; it has been in the making for some time and it gives me great pleasure to see it become a reality,” said the registrar.
Mrs. Harris-Lake paid special mention to the Honourable Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC), Dame Janice Pereira, the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis for their dedication in ensuring that the mediation training came to fruition.
The Honourable Pereira, shared similar sentiments noting that all are gathered at the training for similar reasons “because we share a passion in collaborating on how our respective judiciaries can promote the administration of justice through mediation.”
“We are here to learn… the techniques for effective mediation and to become better able to discern and implement measures that will ensure successful mediation or the types of disputes which will be best resolved through mediation at any level of the court system,” said the chief justice, adding that “one of the best ways to actively promote the benefits of any system or process is to learn firsthand how that system works or operates.”
Mediation, as used in law, is a form of alternative dispute resolution, a way of resolving disputes between two or more parties with concrete effects. Typically, a third party, the mediator, assists the parties to negotiate a settlement.
The opening ceremony was attended by His Excellency Sir S.W Tapley Seaton, Governor General; members of the Cabinet; the judiciary; members of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force; media officials, and specially invited guests.