A reception hosted by the Bould Foundation at Callaloo on Friday (22nd November) saw 18 freshly trained conflict resolution specialists, more widely known as mediators, welcomed to their new roles and skillsets by the former DPM Andre Ebanks MP and the principals of the Bould Foundation, Mr Martyn Bould MBE and Mrs Vivian Bould. The event praised the commitment and hard work of the mediators during their week of training at the Cayman Islands Mediation and Arbitration Centre (the CI-MAC at 90 North Church Street) where Director of the Centre Megan Paget-Brown has created a region leading base of dispute resolution.
… Megan commented: “It was a pleasure to host delegates from a diverse range of professional backgrounds at CI-MAC for this training course. They gained valuable insights from the international faculty of the London-based Society of Mediators, led by Middle Temple barrister Jonathan Dingle FRSA. The course was dynamic and engaging, offering participants a variety of perspectives and hands-on learning opportunities through case study scenarios. The different approaches to conflict resolution were well received, and thanks to the comprehensive training and the dedication of the delegates, there was a 100% pass rate for the course. Delegates are already eagerly anticipating the refresher event, tentatively scheduled for February 11th.”
Course Leader Jonathan Dingle urges attendees to listen more than talk
The training covered all aspects of contemporary dispute resolution from construction to community conflicts and management to media disputes. A mix of workshops and case studies, with adventurous acting featuring Michael McLaughlin and other well-known thespians were very well received.
At the reception, Andre Ebanks MP told the delegates that he was delighted and impressed by their achievements and he welcomed the initiative. “Mediation, which allows people quickly and effectively to resolve conflicts in business or commerce, the workplace or communities, is what Cayman needs to see across every walk of life. Helping people to find effective solutions to complex or challenging problems and empowering Caymanians to take the lead role is what this project is about and I am delighted that it will return with another course next year.”
Mr Bould added; “I have been passionate about mediation’s place in the community since training in 2010. I advocate it in construction and see that it should be embedded in our Islands’ way of life. I am delighted that Jonathan Dingle and his team have brought this idea to a reality and shall now work to ensure, with Andre Ebanks, that it continues to grow.”
Delegates have identified options in the fields of education including through peer mediation in schools run by children and school students, and in restorative justice offering better outcomes from criminal sentences. The Society of Mediators will be following these up in February 2025 with a view to making them part of schools and prison culture later next year.
The enthusiasm and thanks of each person attending the course was palpable, and thanks were described as “special and amazing opportunity”, ”thank you for everything a valuable skill to last a lifetime, “cannot thank you enough for this incredible opportunity”
… In a final word, Megan Paget-Brown said “The new mediators come from a wide variety of professional backgrounds, and being a lawyer is not a requirement. In fact, the majority of delegates had no legal background but proved to be adept at resolving a broad range of commercial and community conflicts. It was a fantastic week, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for CI-MAC and the Cayman Islands.”
The successful Mediators celebrate at Callaloo after study filled week
Bould Consulting directors, Michel Vargas, Martyn Bould and Patrick Stainton with Andre Ebanks MP
- The new Cayman International Mediation and Arbitration Centre (CI-MAC) and the United Kingdom charity the Society of Mediators was delighted to begin its partnership with in person mediation training in George Town from 18 to 22 November 2024. The Society’s Faculty – led by Jonathan Dingle FRSA, Andrea Barnes, Lord Ian Strathcarron, Tristana Lauro, Helen Chapman, Hollywood actor Ann Ogbomo, and Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence have trained over 5,000 mediators worldwide over the last 25 years. With the opening of the CI-MAC in 2022 and its successful 2024 Conference, the idea for the 2024 programme was born.
- Mediation is now truly international. It is recognised as the dispute resolution mechanism of choice in the EU, the United Kingdom, India and South East Asia, the United States of America, Canada, many Caribbean states, and Australia/New Zealand. It is applied to international, national, regional, local, community, business, family and personal disputes.
- And it works! Statistics show that 85.7% of mediations lead to durable settlements and the average time to arrange a mediation is three weeks. And feed is that 97.3% of those who have gone through mediation would recommend it to friends and colleagues.
- Mediation until 2020 was usually face to face in person. But COVID-19 changed everything. Lives. Families. Businesses. Economies. It has caused people to re-evaluate how they train, learn, and work. Their priorities and their ambitions. It has meant that organisations had to re-assess how they permit key events and structures to happen, to minimise risk and promote results. Globally this has included parliaments and parties, courts and conferences, meetings and mediations. What was previously unthinkable is the new normal. What was previously thought unworkable has been adapted to succeed and work.
- For many involved in dispute resolution, this has included both mediations themselves, and the training and preparation for mediation. For decades, it had been mainstream thinking that mediation and the training of mediators could only successfully be delivered face-to-face. Within six months of Lockdown in the United Kingdom, however, Society of Mediators members were reporting 90% of their work was now online (remote) mediation with increased volumes of business.
- Remote mediation still accounts for 50% of all United Kingdom civil and commercial mediation. It offers enormous opportunities for those in the Cayman Islands. Whether by Zoom or Starleaf, Teams or Skype, FaceTime or WhatsApp, Telephone or S4B, the process of settlement at mediation has continued and flourished. More than 20,000 commercial mediations will take place in the United Kingdom this year. It will generate income to mediators of more than £300million.
- Some countries have adopted similar models and options. Others have not. But what is clear is that to be successful there must be a cohort of trained mediators, an appropriate code of conduct, appropriate protocols and support. Opened in 2022, Cayman International Mediation and Arbitration Centre (CI-MAC) has entered the market to offer modern technology and full-service support in an ideal setting. We provide efficient and flexible dispute resolution services and support for arbitration, mediation. Modern national legislation, a supportive court system, cutting-edge technology, efficient administration, flexibility, confidentiality, and access to high quality arbitrators makes CI-MAC ideal for your next arbitration or dispute resolution proceeding. CI-MAC is dedicated to promoting a sophisticated, bespoke approach to arbitration and mediation, as well as to promoting the Cayman Islands as the jurisdiction of choice.
- The CI-MAC and the Society of Mediators are determined to take the lead regionally from Cayman and shine a beacon to the Region and the World for mediation – both in person and online. Mediators will work across the Cayman Islands face to face and take the process to other places in person and online.
9. The CI-MAC and SOM knows that it is vital that this training meets and exceeds international standards. Our course does. The Society of Mediators sets the pace for international accredited mediation training and its certificates are recognised globally. The Society will accredit the CI-MAC training. It follows the 2004 European Code of Conduct and the successor 2021 SOM Code of Conduct.
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