The Role of Mediation Board in Solving Minor Disputes
Abstract
This study explored the role of the Mediation Board as a mediator in resolving minor disputes. According to the Ministry of Justice, many Mediation Board activities have been performed in the past few years in Sri Lanka. Even though there are several mediation boards in the country, most Sri Lankans are still waiting in the judiciary process to get immediate solutions to their issues. Thus, the study addressed the main research questions: What are the processes employed by the mediation board to solve disputes? What kind of improvement should be suggested for an effective mediation process? The general objective is to identify the role and process of the mediation board, identify the problems faced by the mediation board, and make suggestions to improve the mediation board(s) for a better mediation process. The research was based on the Colombo district: The Purposive Sampling Method was utilized to select the research areas from urban, suburban, and rural. The data were obtained from interviews and observations as primary sources and journal articles and related books as secondary sources. Data analysis was carried out using MS Excel for quantitative data and manual data entry for qualitative data. According to the findings, it was revealed that the contribution of the Mediation Board in the rural category was higher than in the suburban and urban areas. It can be concluded that more than 50% of the disputes presented to the Mediation Board (Hanwella, Kaduwela, and Maharagama) are resolved efficiently in a very short period of time. The same procedure has been practiced by all three mediation boards. There are several shortages of both human and physical resources. Appointing experienced young and responsible middle-aged personnel for the mediation boards will help to enhance the efficiency of the service. Furthermore, it is also crucial to provide knowledge concerning the process of mediation and Mediation Boards at the community level and school level.
