Mediators graduate; hope to relieve court congestion

In many jurisdictions it is an increasingly popular alternative to the time and money consuming practice of going to court. But if mediation is going to take root in Belize it will rely on a trained corps of mediators. Today I watched a group of them graduate.

Abdulai Conteh, Chief Justice of Belize
“This itself is no mean task, but it will undoubtedly contribute to the social peace that Belize as a society and country stands sorely in need of today.”

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
Chief Justice of Belize Abdulai Conteh addressing the nineteen graduates of a two-year certification in mediation training. The mediators, who are representatives of the Belize family Court, the Belize Police Department, Youth Enhancement Services, Human Development Community Rehabilitation, and the Women’s Department will be called upon to settle differences between people using the mediation process instead of the court system.

Abdulai Conteh
“Whether they be family, whether they even be trade disputes, commercial disputes, in the long run and I hope not in the too distant future, you will be called upon by the courts when we refer people to go to mediation. The rules presently require us to do so, so you have just been trained to discharge the mandate.”

The training was conducted by Donna Parchment, the Chief Executive and Director of the Dispute Resolution Foundation in Jamaica and the former Dean of the Faculty of Law of the University of the West Indies in Barbados, Professor Albert Fiadjoe. For graduates, Carol Fonseca, the Executive Director of the Women’s Department, and Alberta Perez, a Magistrate with the Family Court, it was a learning experience that they hope to use on the job.

Carol Fonseca, Certified Mediator
“Allowing persons to understand the critical role they each play in resolving their own conflicts. For me this experience has allowed me to truly understand the importance of mediation and how it can serve to draw families closely together instead of farther apart, how it can allow members of our society to live in peace and harmony instead of with violence and conflict.”

Alberta Perez, Certified Mediator
“It reduces the delay of lengthy adjournments; it is cost effective, and allows for continued relationship between the parties.”

The first action of the certified mediators will be to form a Mediators Association.

A draft national mediation bill, which will establish the practice of mediation in Belize, is currently before the Attorney General’s ministry in preparation for submission to Cabinet and eventual approval by the National Assembly.