Latest update February 18th, 2025 1:40 PM
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Magistrates assigned to courts in East Demerara Magisterial District
Magistrate Alisha George has been assigned to preside over Court Two at the Sparendaam
Peter Hugh
Magistrate’s Courts, East Coast Demerara.
The decision to have Magistrate George preside over that court came weeks after the spanking new Sparendaam Magistrates’ Courts was recommissioned at a cost of $77M.
George was admitted to the local bar in 2009. Her petition was presented before Former Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang by Attorney-at-Law Anil Nandlall.
Reports indicate that upon completion of Secondary School, George enrolled at the University of Guyana where she pursued a degree in International Relations. She was admitted to the law programme in 2004 and completed studies at the Hugh Wooding Law School where she gained her Legal Education Certificate (LEC).
Magistrate George along with Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul, who had been the lone Magistrate at the court for several years, will now tackle the backlog of cases in the East Demerara Magisterial District.
Ally-Seepaul, who was sworn in as a Temporary Magistrate in 2012, had served as Senior Counsel at the chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Magistrate Ally-Seepaul, at the commissioning of the court house had expressed appreciation for the new and improved court, which now boasts sound proofing to block out sounds from vehicles traversing the Rupert Craig Highway. The Magistrate had revealed that she faced several challenges while she alone was tasked with the disposal of cases coming into the court.
According to her, “There was so much being demanded from one individual (magistrate) daily, that there isn’t much you can actually get done. You are just placing people on bail, adjourning matters, hoping that you will find the time in the future to start the trial.”
She continued, “Where for instance persons are remanded, you (magistrate) try to give priority to their matters. And you are pushing other matters that were in the system before, backwards…so that is what contributes to the backlog.”
Wanda Fortune
The Magistrate had expressed her optimism that a quota of two Magistrates will immensely ease the situation.
The two-storey building houses two fully air-conditioned courtrooms, washroom facilities, briefing rooms for witnesses and a prisoners’ holding area, which boosts tight security features such as sturdy grillwork on its lower flat.
However, in comparison to the courtrooms at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, which underwent massive restoration a few years back, these courtrooms are a bit smaller.
Meanwhile, recently appointed Magistrates Peter Hugh and Wanda Fortune have also placed at courts in the East Demerara Magisterial District.
Kaieteur News understands that Magistrate Hugh has been assigned to preside over the Vigilance and Cove and John Magistrate’s Courts. Magistrate Hugh was appointed to the bar in 2004 upon completion of his LEC at the Hugh Wooding Law School. Magistrate Hugh served as a defense counsel for several years, during which he took on roles as prosecuting officer.
Magistrate Wanda Fortune was assigned to the Mahaica and Mahaicony Magistrate’s Courts.
Having completed her secondary education, this Magistrate began her quest to become a lawyer with sixth form studies in Law at Saint Stanislaus College. She then furthered her studies at the International Business College and went on to the University of Guyana where she graduated with a Bachelor of Laws Degree with Credit.
Over the years, she had been attached to the Guyana Legal Aid Clinic where she was privy to operations of the courts and its systems.
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