By Dayle Dasilva
Montgomery Daniel, Parliamentary representative for North Windward and Minister of Transport, Works, Housing, etc. was expected to meet with officials from the police, planning and the Chief Engineer on February 16, to discuss the issue of the unauthorized playing of amplified music at various venues throughout the country.
Daniel said on radio on February 15 that he had been receiving telephone calls, often time during the early hours in the morning, from persons complaining about individuals playing amplified music.
According to Daniel, he received a telephone call from a resident at about 4 o’ clock one morning and the complaint was about a ‘block-o’ on the road.
He was informed that the event “is a regular feature” and occurs in an area where elderly persons reside.
The individual complained about a consistent pounding for 7 to 8 hours.
The MP went on to say that he was made to understand that often off duty police officers are hired at these types of events to provide security.
“So, it is worrying if you have security on hand and this matter continues to prevail,” Daniel said.
“.. Whether it’s an attack on law and order, I don’t know,” Daniel admitted and added, “I am going to meet with the relevant institutions to see how we can work on this to restore some peace in these communities.”
Indications are that the organisers of these events are not authorized to play loud music and that the activity goes on until the early hours of the morning, and usually between Saturday night into Sunday morning.
Under the Noise Control Act Section 13(b), ‘No person shall operate or continue to operate a loudspeaker or musical instrument in such a manner that by reason of the level of noise emitted therefrom disturbs persons living or residing in the neighborhood’.
Section 17 states that ‘No loudspeaker or musical instrument shall be operated or used for the purpose of providing music in any public place or in any private premises in circumstances where such music is reasonably capable of disturbing any person occupying or residing in private premises during the hours between six o’ clock in the afternoon on Fridays and six o’clock on the afternoon on the following Saturday and between two o’clock in the morning on Sundays and midnight on the same Sunday’.
The Noise Control Act also specifies that written application or permission shall be made to the Police nearest to the proposed venue not later than ten days prior to the date of the activity.
Source : The Vincentian