The CARO Centre has been established as part of the OHADAC-CARO project, led by ACP Legal and co-financed by the Interreg Caribbean 2021-2027 programme, with the support of the European Union and the French Development Agency (AFD). This initiative aims to strengthen regional integration by facilitating economic exchanges and securing investments through tailored legal instruments, particularly in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). The CARO Centre thus contributes to the development of a more secure economic environment and supports Caribbean stakeholders in their growth and development.

Launch Ceremony of the Training Programmes at the French Residence in Saint Lucia

On 10 June 2026, the CARO Centre officially presented its training programmes developed under the INTERREG Caribbean project “Arbitration and Mediation: Enhancing Dispute Prevention and Resolution across the OECS Region in Support of Regional Cooperation” during a ceremony held at the French Residence in Saint Lucia. The event marked a significant milestone in the project's implementation.

Organised in collaboration with the Embassy of France to the Eastern Caribbean States, Barbados and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), the event brought together more than sixty professionals. Participants included representatives from the Government of Saint Lucia, judges, legal practitioners, business leaders from both local and regional companies, representatives of institutional and civil society organisations, as well as stakeholders from the investment sector and the private sector.

A Project Embedded in a Regional Cooperation Dynamic

The launch ceremony of the OHADAC-CARO Training Programmes at the French Residence in Saint Lucia brought together several key figures involved in the implementation of the project, including Sir Dennis Byron, President of the CARO Centre; Marie-Camille Pitton, Secretary-General of the CARO Centre; Jacques Darche and Keats Compton, members of the CARO Centre Board of Directors; Her Excellency Marie-Noëlle Duris, Ambassador of France to the Eastern Caribbean States, Barbados and the OECS; The Honourable Justice Nicola Byer, Judge of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court; and Delano Frank Bart, President of the OECS Bar Association.

On this occasion, the objectives of the training programmes were reaffirmed: to strengthen the capacities of OECS Member States in alternative dispute resolution mechanisms (ADR) (including mediation and arbitration) in order to reinforce legal certainty, reduce the backlog of cases before regional courts, and foster enhanced cooperation amongst Caribbean territories.

Three Complementary Phases Structuring the Training Programmes in the OECS

Presented by the Secretary-General of the CARO Centre, Marie-Camille Pitton, the training programmes are structured around three complementary components.

The first phase focuses on raising awareness amongst businesses and chambers of commerce on the benefit of ADR mechanisms. The second phase seeks to improve access to justice by reducing judicial backlog and strengthening court-connected mediation capacities and practices. The third phase focuses on investment arbitration and capacity-building for governments. This final component aims to ensure the effective protection of public interests while enhancing expertise in international dispute settlement mechanisms.

These programmes are primarily intended for judges, lawyers, mediators, arbitrators, businesses, chambers of commerce, and public administrations seeking to strengthen their expertise in dispute prevention and resolution.

Next Steps of the Project

In the coming months, the OHADAC-CARO project will enter a phase of practical implementation of its training programmes across the OECS territories. The first sessions will primarily target chambers of commerce and businesses, while a dedicated component will be reserved for judges in the region.

Project experts responsible for training deployment, John Bassie, former President of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and current Chairman of the Dispute Resolution Foundation (DRF) of Jamaica, and The Honourable Justice Charmaine A.J. Pemberton, Judge of the Supreme Court of Trinidad and Tobago will continue analysing the questionnaires collected as part of the regional diagnostic in order to finalise the training content and ensure its alignment with the needs expressed by stakeholders across the OECS territories. This work will enable the programmes to be tailored to local realities and ensure that they respond effectively to the specific challenges of each OECS jurisdiction.

As part of the INTERREG Caribbean VI programme and with the support of the French Development Agency (AFD), the project continues its operational structuring, notably through the mobilisation of experts and the consolidation of field-based mechanisms. The CARO Centre thus reaffirms its ambition to establish a sustainable regional framework for training and cooperation in arbitration and mediation, contributing to the strengthening of legal certainty, the improvement of the business environment, and institutional integration within the Caribbean region.

The CARO Centre extends its sincere gratitude to the Embassy of France to the Eastern Caribbean States, Barbados and the OECS, as well as to the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), for their invaluable commitment and decisive support which were instrumental in the success of this event. It also expresses its appreciation to the INTERREG Caribbean VI programme partners and to the French Development Agency (AFD) for their essential support in the implementation of the project. Through this multilateral cooperation, the OHADAC-CARO Project continues to strengthen regional capacities in arbitration and mediation while promoting legal certainty and cooperation among Caribbean territories.

Watch the full event video by clicking on the following link: https://youtube.com/live/WZS_wFMAgtM?feature=share