News

Disturbing the peace

DESPITE THE FACT that the Noise Abatement Act is in force, citizens have been complaining daily about others who have no regard for the peace and quiet that other residents are entitled to.

Some citizens are helpless as to what to do when music played at full blast has become a nuisance to them.

A St. Andrew resident said: "I live in St. Andrew and almost every night I hear loud music in the area. It does not start until about near midnight and goes right back until daylight".

No sleep

"I have to reach work at 8 a.m. daily and most days I am stressed out because of lack of sleep. I think it is very unfair for individuals in the community to be depriving me of my sleep. I feel I am going to get a nervous breakdown very soon if something is not done to stop the guilty party from disturbing my sleep at nights.

"People will argue that such persons have a right to make a living but I say why make it at the expense of my health? They don't even have the courtesy to turn down the music after midnight so why should they continue to hurt and harm me? Have they no regard for the elderly people as well? The garbage collectors in my area are just as guilty because they turn up in the wee hours of the morning blowing their horns and that also disrupts the sleep of the residents".

Turn off music

The police have the responsibility to enforce the Noise Abatement Act, which came into force in 1997. However, residents who are being disturbed by loud music or noise have the responsibility to call the police in your area or Police Control at 119 and notify them of the disturbance so that the police can go to the location and ask the person to turn down or turn off the music. Charges can be brought against those who disobey police orders.

Section 3 of the Act states that 'No person shall, on any private premises or in any public place at anytime of day or night (a) sing, or sound or play upon any musical or noisy instrument; or (b) operate, or permit or cause to be operated any loud speaker, microphone or any other device for the amplification of sound, in such a manner that the sound is audible beyond 100 metres from the source of such sound and is reasonably capable of causing annoyance to persons in the vicinity'.