This article discusses why the new arbitral framework, based on the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law ("UNCITRAL") Model Law, is a welcome development for the Jamaican legal system, and considers some of the key benefits of arbitration practice consistent with the UNCITRAL Model.

The paper also sounds a note of caution, illustrated by the recent case of Key Motors Ltd. v. Hyundai Motor Company, to underscore how important it is that those who use arbitration - and the counsel who advise them - understand how it works, so that they can best take advantage of the new legal tools at their disposal.