About Us
Our Philosophy
Dialogue comes from the Greek roots dia- (“through” or “across”) and -logue (“discourse” or “talk”);
Solution a means of solving a problem or dealing with a difficult situation.
Conversation or dialogue was at the heart of the “Socratic method,” through which Socrates would ask probing questions which cumulatively revealed his students’ unsupported assumptions and misconceptions. Asking a series of questions was considered by Socrates a method of “giving birth” to the truth. The goal was to “elicit a clear and consistent expression of something supposed to be implicitly known by all rational beings.”
Our Mission
Our overarching goal is to create a space in which dialogue-based problem solving and skills development supports better choices and better outcomes throughout the Caribbean.
Inside Dialogue Series
Director
Dr. Axel Kravatzky
Meet The Board
Mr. Anthony D. Vieira, Independent Senator
Mr. Anthony D. Vieira has been a practising lawyer since 1983 in civil, industrial, family and criminal law. He is a graduate of the UWI Faculty of Law, the Hugh Wooding Law School, the Institute of International Relations and is a certified advanced commercial mediator.In the British Virgin Islands, he worked as senior crown counsel in the Attorney General’s chambers, where he prosecuted serious and complex criminal offences and worked closely with the Inspector of Banks and Trust Companies in the regulation of off-shore financial services.
Mr. Vieira has served on numerous committees and held various appointments, including legal consultant to the Minister of Education; member of the committee responsible for the review and drafting of the Telecommunications Bill 2000; and member of the Code of Ethics Grievance Committee of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
Mr. Vieira is counsel to many performing artistes and is legal counsel to the National Carnival Bands Association. He has also worked extensively in the field of intellectual property protection, beginning as a member of the Ad Hoc Committee established to review the intellectual property laws of Trinidad and Tobago in 1993, and continuing up to 2010 when he served as a member of the committee constituted by the Minister of Legal Affairs to make recommendations for the protection, commercialisation and intellectual property management for the sports industry.
Mr. Vieira was a member of the ministerial committee appointed to implement the draft National Intellectual Property Policy. Currently he is the representative of the Law Association on the Mediation Board of Trinidad and Tobago and is attached to the law firm of Mair and Company.
Service on Committees and Various Appointments:
Retained by Government as Legal Consultant to the Minister of Education (1989 to 1991)
Director of the Reinsurance Company of Trinidad and Tobago (1990 to 1993)
Member of the Ad Hoc Committee established to review the intellectual property laws of Trinidad and Tobago (established in 1993)
Retained by Government to train Officers of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs on Consumer Legislation and Practice (1996)
Involved in the review and drafting of the Copyright Bill 1996
Member of the Crime and Justice Committee of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce (1996 to 2007)
Involved in the review and drafting of the Funeral Homes Bill 1997
Involved in the review and drafting of the Telecommunications Bill 2000 (liberalizing the telecommunications sector and facilitating internet based services)
Member of the Committee appointed by Cabinet to make recommendations for the Establishment of a Legal Structure for the Protection of the Steel Pan (2007)
Member of the Code of Ethics Grievance Committee of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce (2010)
Member of the Committee constituted by the Minister of Legal Affairs to make recommendations for the protection, commercialization and intellectual property management for the Sports Industry (2010)
Member of the Ministerial Committee appointed to implement the draft National Intellectual Property Policy (2010)
Served as the Law Association’s Representative on the Mediation Board of Trinidad and Tobago (2010 to 2014)
Independent Senator of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Presidential appointment (2013-2015)
Chairman of the Joint Select Committee appointed to inquire into and report to Parliament on Municipal Corporations and Service Commissions (2014 – 2015)
Consultant for the World Intellectual Property Organisation: reviewing and drafting amendments to the Copyright Act to bring Trinidad and Tobago in line with the Marrakesh and Beijing Treaties
Chairman of AMCHAM Trinidad and Tobago’s TAG Governance Committee; treating with transparency, accountability and good governance (2016 – 2018)
Certified in Sports Arbitration (2017 AIAC)
Member of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Commission on Arbitration and ADR (2018)
Chairman of the Standing Negotiating Committee on Air Services Agreements (February 2018)
Independent Senator of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Presidential appointment (November 2018)
Mr. Dennis M.A. Gurley S.C
Attorney-at-Law/Notary Public/FCIArbMr. Dennis M.A. Gurley S.C is an Attorney-at-Law, a Notary Public and a senior Partner at J. D. Sellier & Co., and sits on the Board of several companies. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He became a Certified Mediator in Trinidad and Tobago in 2006 and has completed the professional designation of Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He has mediated several commercial disputes, Chaired an Arbitral Tribunal appointed under the ICC Rules, been a member of an Arbitral Tribunal in an international arbitration and has been appointed sole arbitrator in many arbitrations. Dennis has acted for both Claimants and Respondents in many international and domestic arbitration proceedings in the Caribbean and North America.
His areas of practice include Corporate and Commercial Arbitration and Mediations including insurance claims, shareholder disputes, construction, building and contractual disputes, bank and finance disputes, management and corporate governance disputes, debt and insolvency disputes, trust and settlement, land and property disputes, intellectual property disputes professional negligence and family property settlement.
Apart from practising as an attorney-at-law, notary public, mediator and arbitrator, Mr. Dennis M.A. Gurley S.C served as Secretary, Treasurer and Vice-President of the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago and a director of several companies including the President’s Award Foundation, Dispute Resolution Centre, and First Caribbean International Bank (Trinidad and Tobago) Limited. He was also a founding member and Chairman of the Dispute Resolution Centre.
In December 2011, Dennis was awarded the status of Senior Counsel.
Professional Memberships:
The Law Society of England and Wales
Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago
The International Bar Association
Commonwealth Lawyers Association
Publications:
“Mediation Policies and the Private Sector” in The Lawyer, Feb. 2003.
“Alternative Dispute Resolution – A Commercial Perspective” in The Lawyer, April, 1996.
Dr. Axel Kravatzky
Dr. Axel Kravatzky, is Principal Consultant at Syntegra Change Architects Limited (Syntegra) and founder of Tailored Governance and Governance Mandates. Dr. Kravatzky is the practice lead for Corporate Governance and Strategy. He has been working with Boards of Directors, Board Committees and Executives across various industries for over 20 years.He is currently serving as co-convenor and technical editor of the new international guidance standard ISO 37000 on “Governance of Organizations”. He was the Founding Chairman of the Caribbean Corporate Governance Institute (CCGI), 2012 – 2016.
He is frequently invited by professional and regulatory bodies throughout the Caribbean to speak and conduct training on Corporate Governance, strategy development and strategy execution. He also contributes to development of good corporate governance practices, laws, regulation, and guidance throughout the Caribbean and further afield.
Axel is an alumnus of the London School of Economics and Political Science (B.Sc., M.Sc., PhD) and United World College. He has also received training in various areas of Corporate Governance, Strategy, Business Ethics and Risk Management.
Mr. Leslie Clarke
Mr. Clarke is a co-founder of the investment firm Murphy Clarke Financial where he also serves as the Managing Director. Prior to this, he has held senior positions within Trinidad & Tobago’s Financial Sector, including Scotiatrust and Merchant Bank, RBC Royal Bank (formerly RBTT) and Sagicor Merchant Limited.He has worked on various pension and segregated plans, including multinationals, Investment Committees and Non Governmental Organizations. He and his team have designed asset allocation models and alternative investment strategies that have proven successful since the financial crisis of 2008.
He is a graduate of St. Mary’s University in Nova Scotia Canada and also holds an Master in Business Psychology from the Franklin University
Ms. Patricia Ghany
Patricia Ghany is the Owner and Chief Financial Officer at Esau Oilfield Supplies Co. Ltd. The company has supplied and supported the oil and gas industry for more than 45 years, providing pipes, valves and pipe fittings for the development of upstream, midstream and downstream sectors. With over 30 years’ experience in various aspects of the Oil & Gas sector, Ms. Ghany is proficient in the areas of Procurement, Finance, Business Development and Project Management.
Ms. Ghany graduated from the University of Toronto with a B.A. in Sociology and an M.B.A. in International Business and Finance. She has also completed graduate courses in International Management and Cross-cultural Counseling at Harvard University. Before returning to Trinidad in 1995, she was an International Trainer and Consultant in the areas of Cross-Cultural Management, Diversity and Team Building in Austria and Germany. Ms. Ghany is a member of the Family Firm Institute, in Boston and has earned her Advance Certificate in Family Business Advising and Certificate in Family Wealth Advising. She has a vision to increase public awareness and broaden the understanding of developments in the fields of family businesses and family wealth in Trinidad & Tobago.
Ms. Ghany has been an active member of the American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad & Tobago for over 25 years. She currently holds the position of Past President and has held positions of Vice President, Treasurer and Chairperson of the Programs & Events Committee and the ARISE committee. She presently serves as Vice President of the Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America and the Caribbean (AACCLA) Governing Board.
Ms. Ghany has diverse board experience in the finance, insurance, education, corporate governance and nonprofit sectors and currently serves on the boards of Guardian Holdings Ltd, Guardian General Ltd., Guardian Group Trust Ltd., Dialogue Solutions Ltd and The Women in Family Business Network.
She is also a co-franchise owner of Challenge Island Miami & Broward, a cross-curricular enrichment program on the cutting edge of STEAM and 21st century learning skills for children ages 5-15 years. In her spare time she is a professional baker with a love for creating birthday and wedding cakes for special occasions.
Meet our Director Emerita
Elizabeth Solomon
Her Honour Elizabeth Solomon is a Judge of the Industrial Court. She is an experienced mediator who has practiced mediation in a wide variety of political, post-conflict and commercial context around the world. She is a member of the Mediation Board of Trinidad and Tobago. As Trinidad and Tobago’s representative on the Women Mediators Across the Commonwealth Network, she is an enthusiastic advocate for greater inclusion of women in international mediation.Elizabeth had a full career in journalism before joining the United Nations, thereafter spending the next 17 years as a conflict prevention and peacebuilding practitioner with the UN and OXFAM. Elizabeth’s work in post conflict countries has focused on supporting local efforts to build resilient democratic national institutions in Kosovo, Bosnia, and Somalia. Her work on human rights and development has been in Guyana, Brazil and India.
She spent five years in The Netherlands where she worked with academic institutions including The Institute for Social Studies in Den Haag and the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights in Utrecht. She spent three years as a Senior Political Affairs officer in the Department of Political Affairs at UN headquarters in New York before taking up her post as Deputy Coordinator of the Good Offices in Cyprus where she was a member of the UN mediation team. Elizabeth was later posted as the Peace and Development Adviser to Sierra Leone to support the transition from Peace Keeping to the development mandate of the United Nations Country Team.
Elizabeth holds a degree in journalism and an LLB; at the Post Graduate level, she has qualifications in Human Rights and in International Relations. She is currently engaged in a Master’s programme on Leadership, Coaching and Mentorship.
Meet The Team
Christiane Hope
Ms. Christiane Hope is the Operations Manager at Dialogue Solutions Limited, a role she has excelled in since the company’s inception in 2019. Her dedication and expertise have been instrumental in the organization's sustained growth and success.
Ms. Hope’s journey into Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) began over a decade ago when she was chosen to participate in a youth jumpstart program at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce's Dispute Resolution Centre (DRC) shortly after high school. Her diligence and exceptional performance led to a full-time position at the institution.
With over 11 years of experience in ADR services, Ms. Hope is a seasoned professional in advising clients on selecting the appropriate Neutral and administrative processes for complex disputes. She has overseen the administration of multi-million and billion-dollar cases across various sectors, including construction, oil and gas, medical negligence, and land disputes. Her commitment to maintaining the highest standards of service ensures clients receive the best possible support throughout their dispute resolution processes.
Ms. Hope holds a Diploma in Business Management and is currently pursuing her LLB. She has received extensive training in Conflict Management and Resolution, Emotional Intelligence, and Community Mediation and Peacekeeping. Additionally, she has pursued proficiency-level Spanish courses at the University of the West Indies, driven by her passion for languages.