By Gregory Pantin
Trinidad and Tobago’s new Arbitration Act has been proclaimed. With effect from 19th February 2024, all Sections of the Act, except Sections 56(3) and (4), are in operation.
The new Act repeals and replaces the previous Arbitration Act which was originally passed in 1939. The new Act is intended to provide a modern legal framework to facilitate domestic and international trade and commerce, by encouraging the use of arbitration as a means of resolving disputes.
The new Act is based on the UNCITRAL Model Law and helps to clarify the finality of Arbitral awards. It proclamation makes Trinidad and Tobago a potentially rich location for the seat of international and regional arbitrations, given its robust judiciary and generally efficient civil bench to provide any necessary judicial support to the arbitration process in meeting the clarified and defined role of the Court in the arbitration process.
