BRIDGETOWN – The Canadian Government funded Improved Access to Justice in the Caribbean (IMPACT Justice) Project will begin to offer community mediation services in Barbados from August 4th, 2020! These services will be offered by trained mediators at the following locations:
(1) Speightstown Resource Centre (2) Calvary Moravian Church
Corner Major Walk and Queen Street Roebuck Street
Speightstown Bridgetown
St. Peter St. Michael
WHAT IS COMMUNITY MEDIATION? Community Mediation is a voluntary process through which parties involved in a dispute are assisted by a trained neutral third party (the mediator) to reach a mutually agreed solution to their issues. Everything discussed during the mediation process is kept strictly confidential and the process is much quicker and cheaper than court proceedings.
WHY INTRODUCE COMMUNITY MEDIATION IN BARBADOS? Community mediation will serve to:
- maintain harmony in the community;
- resolve disputes before they escalate;
- preserve relationships; and
- divert cases from the court system.
WHAT SHOULD I KNOW? All parties to the dispute must agree to undergo the mediation process. The parties create their own solutions and all parties must agree to the solution chosen. Community mediation services will assist with the resolution of matters including:
- hire purchase disputes;
- homeowners’ disputes;
- family and relationship disputes;
- juvenile conflicts;
- landlord and tenant conflicts; and
- conflicts between neighbours.
For further information please contact the IMPACT Justice Community Mediation Service Point through the IMPACT Justice Project at Hakeem.clarke@cavehill.uwi.edu or 1-246-417-4651/2.
