Each Year some parts of the globe celebrate Conflict Resolution Day, the third Thursday of October. October has become a time to promote and celebrate peaceful conflict resolution practices worldwide. Dedicated dispute resolution practitioners are helping to educate the public about mediation and other innovative conflict management processes. The American Bar Association ABA declared the third week of October, “ABA Mediation Week,” in part building on the efforts of many other national, state, and local organizations in the USA, including the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) www.acrnet.org/crday which have been celebrating conflict resolution during the month of October. The ABA and ACR, as well as numerous other organizations worldwide, are working to raise awareness of the importance of mediation and conflict resolution.
History
In 2005, in order to increase public awareness about conflict resolution and its many benefits, ACR’s Board of Directors adopted a resolution designating October 20, 2005 as Conflict Resolution Day. ACR coordinated its efforts with other conflict resolution organizations and reached out to local, state and international groups to build interest in holding local celebrations in conjunction with Conflict Resolution Day.
Events were held in Canada, Portugal, and 22 U.S. states. Also in the United States, a number of counties, cities and states adopted proclamations designating day- or week-long conflict resolution celebrations. Jamaica has recognized and observed the day before but that seemed to have waned somewhat. In March 2006, ACR’s Board of Directors adopted a resolution designating the third Thursday in October as Conflict Resolution Day. Going forward, Conflict Resolution Day will always be held on the third Thursday of October. Nationwide radio briefly looked at the issue yesterday October 20 and brought into focus the problems in schools since the start of this year with so many incidents and murders involving teens as to how they can be given skills to settle disputes this was broadened to the national level to include civil society and other players such as the psychiatric communities in handling mental problems or issues that also lead to rage and unresolved conflicts.
Recently Minsister of Justice Delroy Chuck Urged Mediation as a way to Settle Cases
Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck (2nd left), and wife, Patricia Chuck (right), enjoy light conversation with retired Chief Justice, Hon. Lensley Wolfe (2nd left); and Attorney General, Ransford Braham, at the graduation ceremony for the 2011 class of the Norman Manley Law School, held on October 8 on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI).JIS KINGSTON — Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, is urging attorneys to assist their clients to settle matters out of court through mediation and arbitration.
Mr. Chuck, who was addressing the 2011 graduating class of the Norman Manley Law School held on October 8 on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), said that lawyers often “push for a win-lose situation, when you can, with guidance, secure for both parties and yourself, a win-win situation, and everyone moves on with their lives”.
“Clients (would) have secured justice economically and you are free to take on more clients without being weighed down by cases languishing for years on end,” he pointed out.
The Justice Minister noted that the government is looking at ways to steer appropriate cases away from the formal court system, by supporting the work of mediation in Jamaica, and introducing legislation, to allow for a formal system of arbitration.
The 2011 graduating class of the Norman Manley Law School, at the ceremony held on October 8 on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI). Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, addressed the graduates.He pointed out that the Dispute Resolution Foundation (DRF) is actively engaged in mediation, and civil matters from the Supreme Court are referred for mediation.
He urged the law school graduates, as they go out into the working world, “to get involved in mediation and with the work of the DRF, particularly, those of you who may not find employment immediately. It will help you to build up your experience and to make important networks.”
He said that mediation is an avenue that will provide many opportunities for young lawyers, who are interested in practicing commercial and business law, particularly where the use of information and communications technology (ICT) and other creative and scientific processes are involved.
“We want to see Jamaica and the Caribbean becoming a hub for local, regional and international arbitration, which commercial entities and traders across the world can utilise in settling their commercial and trade disputes,” he stated.
Mr. Chuck, in the meantime, highlighted other laws, which will open up opportunities for lawyers, and the country as a whole, such as the International Financial Services Authority Act, 2011, which was passed earlier this year.
“The Government is working also on updating the laws that will protect the creative and scientific property of Jamaican people and this initiative will create many opportunities for you,” he stated.
Events were held in Canada, Portugal, and 22 U.S. states. Also in the United States, a number of counties, cities and states adopted proclamations designating day- or week-long conflict resolution celebrations. Jamaica has recognized and observed the day before but that seemed to have waned somewhat. In March 2006, ACR’s Board of Directors adopted a resolution designating the third Thursday in October as Conflict Resolution Day. Going forward, Conflict Resolution Day will always be held on the third Thursday of October. Nationwide radio briefly looked at the issue yesterday October 20 and brought into focus the problems in schools since the start of this year with so many incidents and murders involving teens as to how they can be given skills to settle disputes this was broadened to the national level to include civil society and other players such as the psychiatric communities in handling mental problems or issues that also lead to rage and unresolved conflicts.
Recently Minsister of Justice Delroy Chuck Urged Mediation as a way to Settle Cases
Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck (2nd left), and wife, Patricia Chuck (right), enjoy light conversation with retired Chief Justice, Hon. Lensley Wolfe (2nd left); and Attorney General, Ransford Braham, at the graduation ceremony for the 2011 class of the Norman Manley Law School, held on October 8 on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI).JIS KINGSTON — Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, is urging attorneys to assist their clients to settle matters out of court through mediation and arbitration.
Mr. Chuck, who was addressing the 2011 graduating class of the Norman Manley Law School held on October 8 on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), said that lawyers often “push for a win-lose situation, when you can, with guidance, secure for both parties and yourself, a win-win situation, and everyone moves on with their lives”.
“Clients (would) have secured justice economically and you are free to take on more clients without being weighed down by cases languishing for years on end,” he pointed out.
The Justice Minister noted that the government is looking at ways to steer appropriate cases away from the formal court system, by supporting the work of mediation in Jamaica, and introducing legislation, to allow for a formal system of arbitration.
The 2011 graduating class of the Norman Manley Law School, at the ceremony held on October 8 on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI). Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, addressed the graduates.He pointed out that the Dispute Resolution Foundation (DRF) is actively engaged in mediation, and civil matters from the Supreme Court are referred for mediation.
He urged the law school graduates, as they go out into the working world, “to get involved in mediation and with the work of the DRF, particularly, those of you who may not find employment immediately. It will help you to build up your experience and to make important networks.”
He said that mediation is an avenue that will provide many opportunities for young lawyers, who are interested in practicing commercial and business law, particularly where the use of information and communications technology (ICT) and other creative and scientific processes are involved.
“We want to see Jamaica and the Caribbean becoming a hub for local, regional and international arbitration, which commercial entities and traders across the world can utilise in settling their commercial and trade disputes,” he stated.
Mr. Chuck, in the meantime, highlighted other laws, which will open up opportunities for lawyers, and the country as a whole, such as the International Financial Services Authority Act, 2011, which was passed earlier this year.
“The Government is working also on updating the laws that will protect the creative and scientific property of Jamaican people and this initiative will create many opportunities for you,” he stated.
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| http://www.disputeresolutionfoundation.com/ |
Upon last checks at our local arm on conflict resolution agencies - Dispute Resolution Foundation they were silent on the matter of the day's recognition or activities, but of note are some of their services which includes:
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR):
Court connected
Workplace/business
Family and community
Schools /colleges etc.
Restorative Justice
Mediator certification
Caribbean programmes
Certainly in the LGBT community and advocacy we are woefully lacking in this regard, I am not aware of any direct interventions or collaborations with the above mentioned entity locally, judging by their stance I doubt they would take in LGBT issues seeing they also have a focus on family life which by our standards exclude same gender loving people. The recent impasse between the homeless men who have sex with men men (MSM) populations and two main NGOs that serve this community and who also have MSMs on staff serves to remind us in glaring terms the failings, one would have expected that barring the absence of any frontline services for the men and their registering thier upset at same via two days of civil disobedience On August 23 and 24 of this year at the gates of Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL) and Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays (JFLAG) that an intermediary would have been brought in. They were supposedly banned for rowdy behaviour. Neither The Crisis Intervention Manager for JFLAG nor the Executive DIrector of the same group could console the men and it had to take influentials who were apart of both organizations to quell the fracar, yet we are asking the mainstream to be tolerant of same gender loving persons and embrace their right to freedom to express same love. Gay on Gay violence is also still a major challenge especially in the MSM communities as a recent incident has brought to bear as well where a prospective Miss LGBT World 2011 got herself in an altercation with a known enemy so to speak at a recent party the brawl halted proceedings for some time post the tussle she has been disqualified from the event, all this without very little attempt to have some intervention to quell the long standing disagreement between the parties. Let us be reminded of the case of the eye gouging male who in a jealous fit blinded one eye of his partner which made national news to the humour of many and the case drag on the courts for some time despite the victim's attempt to have the charges dropped.
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR):
Court connected
Workplace/business
Family and community
Schools /colleges etc.
Restorative Justice
Mediator certification
Caribbean programmes
Certainly in the LGBT community and advocacy we are woefully lacking in this regard, I am not aware of any direct interventions or collaborations with the above mentioned entity locally, judging by their stance I doubt they would take in LGBT issues seeing they also have a focus on family life which by our standards exclude same gender loving people. The recent impasse between the homeless men who have sex with men men (MSM) populations and two main NGOs that serve this community and who also have MSMs on staff serves to remind us in glaring terms the failings, one would have expected that barring the absence of any frontline services for the men and their registering thier upset at same via two days of civil disobedience On August 23 and 24 of this year at the gates of Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL) and Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays (JFLAG) that an intermediary would have been brought in. They were supposedly banned for rowdy behaviour. Neither The Crisis Intervention Manager for JFLAG nor the Executive DIrector of the same group could console the men and it had to take influentials who were apart of both organizations to quell the fracar, yet we are asking the mainstream to be tolerant of same gender loving persons and embrace their right to freedom to express same love. Gay on Gay violence is also still a major challenge especially in the MSM communities as a recent incident has brought to bear as well where a prospective Miss LGBT World 2011 got herself in an altercation with a known enemy so to speak at a recent party the brawl halted proceedings for some time post the tussle she has been disqualified from the event, all this without very little attempt to have some intervention to quell the long standing disagreement between the parties. Let us be reminded of the case of the eye gouging male who in a jealous fit blinded one eye of his partner which made national news to the humour of many and the case drag on the courts for some time despite the victim's attempt to have the charges dropped.
So, clearly some sort of interventions are needed in this regard.
Peace and tolerance
H
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