Mediation
Settle it together, with a neutral guide.
In mediation I work for both parties. I do not represent either side and I do not decide who is right.
Not every dispute belongs in court. On small islands, the person you are in conflict with today is someone you will see at the supermarket, in church or at your child's school next year.
Mediation gives both sides a way to settle the matter themselves, with a neutral professional guiding the conversation.
I am a certified mediator, trained in the Dutch MfN method. I mediate business disputes between partners, contractors and clients; disputes between heirs over estates and family property; conflicts between employers and employees; and family matters such as the division of property after a separation.
Sessions are held in English or Dutch, on Sint Eustatius, Saba or Sint Maarten, or by video.
How it works
Four steps, usually two to four sessions.
- 01
Agree to mediate
Both parties agree to mediate and sign a short mediation agreement.
- 02
Define the dispute
In the first session the parties define, together, what the dispute is about. That first agreement is often the beginning of the solution.
- 03
Talk it through
One or more sessions follow, usually two to four in total.
- 04
Put it in writing
If the parties reach an agreement, I draft a settlement agreement that both sign.
What you can expect
Confidential, neutral, quick.
Confidentiality
Nothing said in mediation can be used in court afterwards.
Neutrality
I do not represent either party and do not decide who is right.
Speed
Most mediations are concluded within weeks, not years.
Cost
Fees are charged on actual time and shared equally between the parties. You receive a quote before the first session.
Recent result
A construction dispute between two companies on Saba, settled in mediation in a single day.
If you and the other party are both willing to talk, mediation is worth a conversation.