Has anyone been successful in prosecuting noise makers?

Apr 14, 2009 Letters

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Dear Editor,
The ‘anti- noise’ letter writers are sounding like broken records as they continue to lament the same cries over and over in the newspapers.
Ms Joyce Jonas, who has written numerous letters about being disturbed in the quietness of her home, once again has spoken out on the utter disregard for citizens who try to enjoy and relax the comfort of their homes.

Her letter (SN 22-03-09) titled “The authorities should be safeguarding citizens’ rights to quietness in their homes” kind of summed up all of the various correspondences which have appeared in the newspapers over the months.
The situation where people can play music as loud as they want, when they want, how they want, the kind they want, and to hell with everybody else is just another sad example of how inconsiderate, immature, and out of control our society is becoming — and yet we have the Guyana Police Force!

Yet, the editors keep sending copies of these letters by Dr Jonas, George Abrams (‘Car-wash bay is disturbing the peace’ 20-03-09), Roshan Khan (‘Noisy shows are affecting residents’ 14-03-09), A. Parker (‘Disco at Anna Catherina causing noise nuisance’ SN 17-12-08), a nameless writer (‘Car wash creating major noise nuisance on the Corentyne’ 07-04-08), another nameless writer (‘Noise nuisance at Bartica’ 11-11-08), another anonymous writer (‘Was permission granted for music sets to disturb a village of 600 until 2am?’), among countless others to the Commissioner of Police Henry Greene.
The letters add up to over a dozen. I cannot recall seeing responses to these letters being published. I am still awaiting a response by the Commissioner on another letter I wrote a few weeks ago.
Do they even respond to these letters? Mr. Editor I believe you should stop wasting your time sending copies of these letters about noise disturbances to the police.

June Mendez had to move out from her home as the noise from the Guyana National Stadium at Providence was too much (SN 28-11-07); M. Sookraj opined that it was either the law was unclear or not being enforced with regards to noise disturbances (SN 20-11-08); Mohammed Khan wrote about dust and noise nuisance in Essequibo (SN 01-10-07); Leelawattie Deerom was disturbed by noise at Timehri (SN 27-01-07), a nameless writer wrote about noise at Peter’s Hall (SN 07-03-07), Bibi Khan wrote about continuous noise from a Mon Repos Temple (SN 27-03-07), Rafi Chaidan lamented no relief from noise nuisance at Reliance (SN 04-01-08), an anonymous writer complained about the police not responding to noise complaint (SN 19-01-07); Brendon Khan said that the seawall is no place for loud music (SN 27-10-08); and another anonymous writer described the Sunday ‘Lime’ at the Georgetown seawall a form of ‘torture’ (SN 20-11-08) are just a few of the letters which have appeared in these columns. Each letter highlights the plight, the disgust, the trepidation of our citizens.

Also, each letter highlights the deep madness that is seeping into our society, a never ending madness which is causing people to lose sleep, there seems to be no peace in homes, no sense of relaxation, serenity, no way out, no escape from the bombardment of the noise.
The SN in times past has published a list of lawyers’ names at the bottom of a few letters which dealt with noise disturbances.

Just how much help comes from these persons is anyone’s guess. Has anyone been successful in prosecuting noise makers?
The basic rights of citizens — the right to peace and quiet in their homes and neighbourhoods — is being compromised to epic proportions.
Loud noise is unhealthy and our environment activists should take note. Stress levels soar, cardiovascular problems develop, hearing loss occurs, sleep disturbance occurs; hypertension, etc are among the detrimental effects of loud noise levels.

That aggravating noise, be it in the form of a noisy factory, a car wash, or just music can also result in aggression, anti- social behaviours, increase workplace accident rates, and stimulated aggression.
Dr. Jonas, I laud your letter, but sadly there is another humbug festering in our country.
The habit of persons slashing grass with these mechanical grass-cutters is a very dangerous one.
People’s health is being threatened through the amount of ‘grass-dust’, for want of a better term/word, which is being emitted into the atmosphere.
We are paying persons to cut grass in our yards, parapets, and even by the roadside and this, along with the wind, prove to be a dangerous combination for persons, more particularly those who suffer with allergies and asthma.

I see the breeze blowing huge amounts of this ‘dust’ into the air and people go about their businesses in both rural and urban areas.
I have lived miserable days due to this and me, being a person allergic to dust, sometimes wonder if insanity is the order of the day for some people.
So, like Dr Jonas, I ask the question, can anyone hear me? Or is all the noise drowning out my call?
Leon Jameson Suseran

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