HAVING been closed for almost a year to facilitate the construction of a new building, the Sparendaam Magistrates Court re-opens its doors on Friday.The old courthouse was demolished to facilitate the construction of a new and improved one. During the construction period, the court sitting was temporarily moved to the Better Hope Community Centre.

The new courthouse will accommodate two courtrooms, which will seat Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul and another magistrate, who is yet to be named.
The courthouse is fully air-conditioned and has been enhanced to block out the sound of heavy traffic along the Rupert Craig Highway which normally disturbs the proceedings.
Outgoing Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Justice Carl Singh, at the opening, said court hearings will commence on Monday and commended the contractor ENA Construction for a good job done on the building.
The chancellor further noted that the magistrates who are going to preside at the court are going to be comfortable there and therefore there should be greater production.
Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul, was sworn in as magistrate on August 2, 2012 and has been sitting at the Sparendaam Court since then.
Speaking to the media at Friday’s opening, Magistrate Ally-Seepaul expressed her gratitude for the new courthouse.
“The volume of matters that has come before the court, there is so much that is being demanded on a day-to-day [basis] from one individual on a daily basis there isn’t much that you can actually get done,” she noted.
The Sparendaam Magistrates Court handles matters from Mon Repos to Conversation Tree on the East Coast of Demerara. Also in attendance at the opening ceremony were Chief Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and other magistrates from the East Coast magisterial district.