Jamaicans Urged to Embrace Mediation for Conflict Resolution

Justice Minister, Hon. Delroy Chuck, is encouraging all Jamaicans to use mediation as a dispute-resolution tool.

“We implore Jamaicans to use mediation in their families, among their friends and coworkers, and even with strangers, where conflicts may arise. Mediation is a conflict-resolution tool, whereby disputing parties will discuss their grouses in the presence of a certified mediator, who acts as a neutral third party. The end game is to arrive at a jointly agreed solution,” he said.

Mr. Chuck was making his contribution to the 2025/26 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives recently.

He informed that the Ministry supports mediation and its administration through the Dispute Resolution Foundation (DRF).

“Simply put, mediation works. Statistics now confirm that the average rate of successful mediation resolution is more than 75 per cent, with the programme maintaining this average over the last 12 months,” Mr. Chuck said.

“Since December 2021, we have implemented improvements such as facilitating the payment of mediator fees in cases where affordability is an issue. The impact of this intervention has resulted in a close to ten-fold growth in mediation referrals from the Parish Courts… from a starting point of 145 matters in the last quarter of the 2021/22 financial year to approximately 1,180 referrals in 2024/25,” he added.

The Minister welcomed the growing number of individuals engaging in mediation, “and we want to see even more persons embrace this proven conflict-resolution tool”.

Mr. Chuck reaffirmed the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to mediation.

“Over the last three years, we received claims for mediation sessions of just under $50 million, with approximately $33 million expended during the last financial year,” he informed.

The Minister highlighted the mediation programme’s direct impact on improved case clearance rates in the courts. He indicated that over the past 12 months, more than 1,570 matters were resolved through mediation, eliminating the need for adjudication by a Parish Court Judge.

“As we advance beyond the scourge of violence plaguing Jamaica, let us all commit to using mediation as our coping mechanism and our collective safety net,” Minister Chuck stated.