House passes Mediation Act 2026 after tributes to Harding, Peart, Nelson and Francis

The House of Representatives on July 14, 2026 passed the Mediation Act 2026 and paid formal tributes to four Jamaicans whose careers marked national life, then heard answers from Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Minister Daryl Vaz on electricity and oil matters.

Justice Minister Delroy Chuck piloted the bill, which sets a regulatory framework for mediation in Jamaica, including community mediation, registration of mediators, licensing of mediation service providers, and provisions that give effect to the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements resulting from mediation, done in New York on December 20, 2018. The House took the measure through second reading, committee and third reading after completing earlier debate.

In committee, lawmakers replaced the word "habitually" with "ordinarily" in three places in clause 2 covering definitions of domestic mediation, international commercial mediation and international settlement agreement. Member Julian Robinson urged that, for domestic mediation, ordinary residence might raise jurisdictional problems and that presence in Jamaica might be clearer; Opposition Leader Mark Golding advised Chuck not to shift to mere presence without technical advice. After consulting drafters, Chuck kept "ordinarily resident" in all three places. Clause 11 was also amended so that, on default of a fine of $1 million, a term of imprisonment not exceeding six months could follow.

Speaker Juliet Holness welcomed the Peart and Nelson families in the gallery. Tributes followed for Professor Oswald Harding, OJ, CD, KC, former Senate president and cabinet minister; Arthur Nelson, former member of parliament for St. James West Central; Dean Peart, former Northwest Manchester MP and cabinet minister; and athletics coach Stephen Francis, co-founder of the MVP Track and Field Club, who guided champions including Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Asafa Powell.

House Leader Horace Chang, Golding, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, Culture Minister Olivia Grange and other members hailed Harding's long Senate service, legal scholarship and founding role at the University of Technology law faculty. Golding and Western Jamaica MPs recalled Nelson's humility as a civil engineer turned MP, including his Order of Distinction in 2015. Peart was remembered for five consecutive wins in Northwest Manchester, terms as Mandeville mayor and portfolios including local government and labour. Francis was praised for proving elite athletes could be trained at home. Funeral arrangements announced included Harding on July 27 at the UWI Chapel, Nelson on August 8 at 11 a.m. at the St. James Parish Church, and a celebration of life for Francis on August 15 at the National Indoor Sports Centre. Chang said Cabinet would consider an official funeral for Peart.

Under questions, Philip Paulwell asked whether talks had begun on the All-Island Electricity Licence 2016. Vaz said yes and named a Cabinet-approved team chaired by former permanent secretary Carol Palmer. He said Jamaica still aims for about 50 per cent renewables by 2030, is near 16 per cent now, and is pursuing further solar and battery capacity. On Petrojam losses tied to Middle East oil shocks, he said subsidies should be recovered as prices ease, with no plans to sell Petrojam assets. The House also approved hybrid meetings for the Integrity Commission Oversight Committee and a regulations committee change replacing Zelica Jess with G. Anthony Hilton, then adjourned to a date to be fixed.