Someone wants lawlessness to prevail

Dec 15, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
In your daily papers dated 2017/12/14 on page 11, I read an article where business owners are asking for the change of the Charity magistrate court day from Monday to Thursdays, because the entertainment spots are not allowed to play their music.
I am wondering who are these business owners this person is talking about. As far as I am concerned, anyone who is the owner of a business would like to conduct that business in the most tranquil atmosphere. Noise can be an impediment to their thinking while conducting business. I am of the opinion that this person has a personal axe to grind.
He or she should equip themselves with a copy of the regulation made under the Environmental Protection Act 1996. The Act (Part V section 13) reads: Any person who is the proprietor, occupier or person having charge of any building, private premises or any part thereof, or any vehicle, at any time causes or suffers or allows any loud, unnecessary, excessive or unusual noises in the operation of any sound-making device or equipment so as the noise or music is plainly audible at a distance of fifty feet from the vehicle or premises in which it is produced, commits an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than three hundred thousand dollars nor more than seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars and to imprisonment for one year.
According to the article, it seems as though the complaint has been directed against the magistrate for wrongdoing and the presiding magistrate should take note of how far these noise offenders can go to get things their own way.
The only person who has the authority to change court days is the office of the Chancellor of the Judiciary and so this person has shown great disrespect for that office by asking to change the court day so as to facilitate his or her business to play loud and continuous music, in contravention of the law.
The Charity Magistrate’s Court has its legal authority to ask these loud music players to play their music within the ambit of the law and what this complainant is seeking, is to have the Charity Court days changed so that he or she could break the law.
I am calling on the Minister of Public Security, Hon. Khemraj Ramjattan, to equip himself with a copy of the Noise Pollution Act from the Environmental Protection Authority and he will see that you don’t have to form a noise pollution task force.
One was formed over three months now and nothing has been achieved to curb noise pollution in this country. There are laws already where persons can be prosecuted for this offence. All you have to do, is give the Guyana Police Force the instrument to measure the decibel of the music and empower them to prosecute these law offenders under the Environment Protection Act 1996.
Do this and you will see the results under this act, as there are heavy fines and jailed term.
Resident of Charity

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News