New dispute resolution centre brings together local and regional expertise with a vision for resolution within Antigua and Barbuda and the Caribbean.
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda — Individuals, businesses and organisations in Antigua and Barbuda now have access to a dedicated centre offering structured alternatives for resolving disputes, following the official launch of Carib Resolve Dispute Resolution Centre on Wednesday, 26th August 2026.
Carib Resolve is the first dedicated dispute resolution centre of its kind in Antigua and Barbuda and has been established to provide professional services including mediation, arbitration, conciliation, expert determination and other services.
The Centre caters to disputes arising in areas including commercial and contractual matters, employment, construction, insurance, personal injury, family and estate matters, among others.
Rather than positioning Alternative Dispute Resolution as a replacement for the courts, Carib Resolve aims to broaden the options available to parties when disagreements arise and encourage earlier consideration of the process best suited to the particular dispute.
Founder and Managing Director, Attorney-at-Law Elizabeth Laviscount, said the Centre responds to a need for a dedicated space where dispute resolution services can be accessed in a structured and professional setting.
“We have become very accustomed to a dispute arising and litigation being viewed as the natural next step. There will always be matters that require the intervention of the courts, but there are also disputes where another process may provide an effective pathway towards resolution.”
She added that the Centre’s philosophy is grounded in looking beyond the immediate disagreement to consider the wider impact of unresolved conflict.
“A dispute can affect far more than the issue that originally brought the parties into disagreement. There can be significant consequences for time, cost, business operations and relationships. Our aim is to create a space where parties can understand the options available to them and, with the appropriate professional support, determine how best to move the matter forward.”
A Centre Built Around Professional Expertise
Carib Resolve is not designed to operate around a single practitioner. The Centre brings together qualified local and regional professionals, including mediators and arbitrators, who may be engaged based on the nature, complexity and requirements of a particular dispute.
The model allows parties to access professionals with appropriate experience and expertise, while Carib Resolve provides the institutional structure and administrative support required to facilitate the process.
According to Laviscount, creating that platform was an important part of the vision.
“I wanted to build something that other professionals could also stand on and run with. The strength of a dispute resolution centre should not rest on one individual. It should provide a platform through which qualified professionals can contribute their expertise and parties can access the assistance appropriate to their dispute.”
The Centre will also work with businesses, professional organisations and other institutions interested in incorporating dispute resolution into the way they manage conflict, including through referrals and contractual arrangements.
Regional Justice Experts Support Greater Use of ADR
The launch brought together representatives from the judiciary, legal profession, labour, insurance, construction, financial services, hospitality, engineering and the wider business community.
Justice Birnie Stephenson, delivering an address titled “From Conflict to Collaboration: The Evolving Role of Alternative Dispute Resolution in Modern Society,” highlighted the importance of communication, engagement and early intervention in preventing disagreements from developing into more serious conflict.
Her remarks placed dispute resolution within a wider social context, emphasising the value of creating opportunities for dialogue before conflict becomes more destructive or progresses unnecessarily into lengthy court proceedings.
A regional perspective was provided by Attorney-at-Law Theo Jones, Director of Legal Services at the Caribbean Agency for Justice Solutions (CAJS).
Drawing on regional and international statistics, including World Bank data, Jones highlighted challenges associated with the volume of matters entering justice systems and the length of time disputes can take to reach resolution.
His presentation underscored the role mediation and other forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution can play in improving access to justice and providing additional pathways for the timely resolution of disputes.
Jones also confirmed CAJS’s support for Carib Resolve, including support in areas related to dispute resolution standards, training and education.
The collaboration reflects a wider interest in strengthening the infrastructure and professional capacity for dispute resolution across the Caribbean.
Putting Dialogue Into Practice
The launch moved from policy and principle to practical application through a round-table discussion examining how disputes develop across different industries and how earlier intervention can influence their course.
Moderated by Attorney-at-Law, Mediator and Arbitrator Trecy Benn-Roberts, the panel included Ralph Potter, President of The People’s Union; Charlene Selkridge, mediator and insurance and employment professional; and Kemar Roberts, Attorney-at-Law and Partner at One Legal Caribbean Law Firm.
The conversation explored disputes arising in areas ranging from employment and insurance to construction, engineering, banking, hospitality and commercial relationships.
A recurring theme was that although disputes arise in very different settings, many are driven by similar factors, including communication breakdown, competing interests, entrenched positions, cost, delay and damaged relationships.
The discussion also addressed the misconception that agreeing to mediation signals weakness or requires a party to surrender a strong legal position, while recognising that mediation is not appropriate for every dispute and that litigation and other binding processes remain necessary in appropriate circumstances.
Antigua and Barbuda as the Starting Point
While Carib Resolve has been established in Antigua and Barbuda, its vision extends across the Caribbean.
For Laviscount, that regional outlook has been shaped in part by her own experience. Originally from Barbados, having studied and completed part of her legal training in Trinidad and Tobago, and now living and practising in Antigua and Barbuda, she views the Caribbean as an interconnected professional and commercial community.
“Antigua and Barbuda is our home and our starting point, but the Caribbean has always been part of the vision. Across our region we study together, work together, invest, build businesses and form professional relationships across jurisdictions. For me, there are no borders on the vision, only connections to be made.”
The Centre intends to establish its presence and capacity in Antigua and Barbuda while developing relationships and expertise that can support its longer-term regional reach.
For Carib Resolve, the launch marks the beginning of a broader effort to encourage individuals and organisations to think differently about what happens when disagreement arises.
The message is not that every dispute should avoid the courtroom, but that the courtroom does not necessarily have to be the immediate next step.
About Carib Resolve
Carib Resolve Dispute Resolution Centre is a dedicated dispute resolution centre based in Antigua and Barbuda, providing professional dispute resolution services to individuals, businesses and organisations. Its services include mediation, arbitration, conciliation, expert determination and adjudication, supported by local and regional professionals.
Carib Resolve: Where Dialogue Meets Resolution.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Carib Resolve Opens First Dedicated Dispute Resolution Centre in Antigua and Barbuda.