MEDIATION CAN PROVE BENEFICIAL TO ALL PARTIES, SAYS JUSTICE WARD, QC, RESIDENT JUDGE IN ST. KITTS

Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 19, 2021 (SKNIS): The Honourable Mr. Justice Trevor Ward, QC, Resident Judge in St. Kitts, is touting the numerous benefits of mediation as an alternative form of dispute resolution. These benefits allow for disputes to be resolved as efficiently and successfully as possible, fairly, and equitably.

Speaking at the Opening Ceremony for the 2021 Mediation Training on Monday, May 17, the Honourable Justice Ward, QC pointed to flexibility, the preservation of relationships, timeliness, cost-effectiveness, and confidentiality as positive attributes to the mediation process.

“I am confident that as we continue to train and expose practitioners and others to litigation and the value that it brings and the considerable savings in time and money – and its productive outcomes that the parties will find mutually satisfying – we will be able when we collect the data to observe that more and more matters are disposed of by way of mediation,” said the Honourable Justice Ward, QC.

The resident judge encouraged participants to make the best of the training and expressed hope in their success upon completion of the course.

“I echo the confident hope that at the end of the day, most, if not all you, will be certified as mediators and that you will bring that training and experience to bear on the process of the court. I wish you all the best for a successful week and I look forward to working with you in the future,” he said. “We do appreciate your role in driving the mediation process so that the courts can realize its objectives whereby, ideally, 90 percent of cases should be disposed of by way of mediation…”

Justice Ward, QC, expressed thanks to those who played their part in ensuring that the mediation training came to fruition.

The 40-hour Mediation Training 2021 will see 26 persons from the Federation trained to mediate in conflict resolution, one more than the 25 who were trained in 2019 when the training course officially commenced.
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