JAMAICA has taken a big step towards joining the growing list of countries that have a unified mediation framework to resolve disputes, with Tuesday’s opening of the debate on the Mediation Bill 2026 in the House of Representatives.

The Bill was piloted by Justice Minister Delroy Chuck, who opened the debate, telling Parliament that the legislation seeks to establish a regulatory framework governing the conduct of mediation in Jamaica, including community mediation, the registration of mediators, and the licensing and regulation of mediation service providers.

He noted that Jamaica’s mediation landscape is currently shaped by a patchwork of laws that address specific disputes but fail to provide a unified, modern framework.

“This fragmentation forces practitioners and parties to navigate inconsistent rules and uncertain standards. By enacting a comprehensive Mediation Act, Jamaica can transform its dispute resolution system, creating clarity, consistency, and confidence in mediation as a reliable, national mechanism,” said Chuck.

He pointed out the tendency to default to pictures of corporate boardrooms and multi-million-dollar contracts whenever the issue of conflict resolution is raised. “But conflict is not just a line item on a balance sheet. It is deeply personal, emotional, and fundamentally human,” he argued.

He said the legal system is overwhelmed, not just by commercial giants, but by families, neighbours, and everyday citizens caught in cycles of dispute.

“Traditional litigation operates like a scalpel. It cuts a case down to strict legal rights, ignoring the human relationships underneath,” Chuck stated. “I intend for mediation to have a fundamental impact on and transform how our people engage and settle their differences.”

He invited his fellow lawmakers to “consider the profound impact of mediation across three critical areas: family and domestic relations; community and neighbourhood disputes; and workplace harm and employment”.

The minister said mediation allows the parties to address systemic toxic behaviour, negotiate fair exits, or restructure workplace dynamics quickly, avoiding the public destruction of reputations. “In all of these arenas, the court asks: ‘who is legally right?’ Mediation asks: “what do you actually need to move forward?’”

Chuck also argued that a court order can mandate an action, but it cannot mandate peace. “It cannot heal a fractured family, restore a safe workplace, or bring peace to a neighbourhood block,” he emphasised.

“By prioritising mediation, we aren’t just making our legal system more efficient, we are making our society more compassionate. We are choosing a path that values reconciliation over retribution, and understanding over a verdict”.

Chuck told the Parliament that mediation will, among other things, provide legal certainty as international businesses will not rely on mediation if they are confused about how it works under our local laws; establish the rules of the game as in the case of the Singapore Convention which leaves procedural details to domestic courts; and boost Foreign Direct Investment as global investors look for jurisdictions that respect the rule of law and offer efficient dispute resolution.

“By incorporating the Singapore Convention into our national fabric, we send a loud, clear signal to the world that Jamaica is safe, modern, and ready for investment and international business,” Chuck said.

“While commercial mediation saves dollars, non-commercial mediation saves relationships, communities, and lives. It steps into spaces where a rigid court judgement is too blunt an instrument to heal the underlying hurt.”

The Mediation Bill seeks to establish the timeline for operationalisation of the Mediation Act 2026; articulate the main objects of the Bill which includes but is not limited to the regulation of the conduct of mediation; provide for the registration of mediators and licensing of mediation service providers; and outline the process governing the establishment of the Mediation Board and the functions of the board.

Additionally, it provides for the institution of a registrar who shall also serve as the secretary to the board, and for an appeals process, including the establishment of an appeals tribunal and the manner in which appeals are to submitted.