OHADAC-CARO Alternative Dispute Resolution Training Programme Begins Regional Rollout with First Business Training in Saint Lucia

Following the official presentation of the OHADAC-CARO Training Programmes in Saint Lucia on June 10, 2026, the OHADAC Regional Arbitration Centre (CARO Centre), in partnership with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), is moving into the programme’s first phase of training activities across the Eastern Caribbean.

The first training session designed for businesses and private-sector stakeholders will take place in Saint Lucia on 17 September 2026, in collaboration with the Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (SLCCIA).

Under the theme “Alternative Dispute Resolution for Businesses: Practical Tools for Commercial Risk Management”, the one-day training will provide businesses and private-sector stakeholders with practical knowledge on how mediation and arbitration can be used to prevent, manage and resolve commercial disputes.

A Practical Focus on Commercial Risk Management

For businesses, commercial disputes can mean high costs, delays and uncertainty, and can affect valuable commercial relationships. Mediation and arbitration offer practical alternatives to traditional court proceedings, giving businesses greater flexibility in how disputes are managed and resolved, while helping them address disputes in a timely, structured and appropriate manner.

The training will focus on the practical use of mediation and arbitration in a business context. Participants will explore how disputes can be addressed at an early stage, how to identify the most appropriate dispute resolution mechanism, and how incorporating alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provisions into commercial contracts and business practices can contribute to better dispute prevention and management.

The session will be delivered by an international arbitration expert for the arbitration component and Mr. Urban Dolor for the mediation part of the training. It will combine practical presentations, case studies and interactive discussions, with a focus on situations that businesses may encounter in their day-to-day commercial activities.

A Regional Rollout through Chambers of Commerce

The Saint Lucia training represents the first step in a series of training sessions being organised in cooperation with Chambers of Commerce and their business communities across the OECS.

Following Saint Lucia, the next sessions currently planned are:

Further training sessions will be organised in other OECS territories as the programme continues its regional rollout.

Working through local Chambers of Commerce will allow the programme to reach businesses directly and ensure that training activities are connected to the realities and needs of the local private sector.

From the June Official Presentation to Practical Training

The official presentation held on June 10, 2026, marked an important milestone in the regional development of the OHADAC-CARO Training Programmes. Bringing together judicial, legal and economic stakeholders, the event highlighted the shared ambition to strengthen access to effective and accessible dispute resolution mechanisms across the region.

Dr. Marie-Camille Pitton, Secretary-General of the CARO Centre, presented the programme’s phased approach, beginning with a regional assessment of existing ADR mechanisms and leading to targeted training based on identified needs. She stressed the importance of building on the expertise already available across the territories and promoting the sustainable and harmonised development of ADR practices.

Sir Dennis Byron, President of the Board of the CARO Centre, highlighted the role of mediation in improving access to justice, offering faster, less costly and often more appropriate avenues for resolving disputes, while also helping preserve relationships between parties.

“I’ve spent most of my life arguing that justice only counts for something if people can actually reach it and that a right nobody can enforce is barely a right at all...We are doing more than talking, we are putting the machinery in place to make it real,” said Sir Byron.

These messages were echoed by Her Ladyship Justice Nicola Byer of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, who emphasised the growing importance of mediation as a complement to traditional adjudication and the need for regional cooperation to strengthen its use. Delano Frank Bart, President of the OECS Bar Association, further underlined the importance of better mobilising Caribbean expertise, noting that the region already has a significant pool of professionals trained in mediation and arbitration.

The programme is now moving into its next phase: from presentation to implementation. Practical training activities are being delivered in cooperation with local partners, with sessions tailored to the needs of businesses and other stakeholders in each territory.

Saint Lucia will host the first training session for the private sector, marking the beginning of the programme’s regional rollout.

Building Practical Capacity Across the Eastern Caribbean

The OHADAC-CARO Training Programmes seek to make arbitration and mediation more accessible and better understood by businesses and other economic stakeholders.

By providing practical knowledge on available dispute resolution mechanisms, the programme aims to help businesses better anticipate commercial risks, manage disputes and protect their business relationships, while contributing to a more predictable environment for regional and cross-border economic activity.

The training programme is implemented by the CARO Centre in partnership with the OECS under the Interreg Caribbean VI Programme, with co-financing from the French Development Agency (AFD).

Event information - Saint Lucia

About the CARO Centre

The OHADAC Regional Arbitration Centre (CARO Centre) works to develop arbitration and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms across the Caribbean. It supports economic, legal and institutional stakeholders in promoting access to effective dispute resolution solutions, legal certainty and more secure commercial exchanges adapted to Caribbean realities.

About the OECS

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), established on June 18, 1981, is an international intergovernmental organisation dedicated to fostering regional integration in the Eastern Caribbean. The Organisation's current vision is "A better quality of life for the people of the OECS," and its mission statement is "To drive and support sustainable development through regional integration, collective action, and development cooperation." The OECS comprises seven full Member States: Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines and five associate Member States: the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Saint Martin.

About the Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture

The Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (SLCCIA) is a leading private-sector organisation in Saint Lucia, representing the interests of businesses and supporting private-sector development and a favourable environment for economic activity.

Press Contact

Name: Hilary GEDEON

Email: hgedeon@carohadac.org