Thankfully, finally, and some praise is due to Mayor Louis Lee Sing, the people are objecting to noise.
Although noise creation is against the law, successive governments, the police and the EMA (until now) have subscribed to the belief that people affected and indeed harmed by noise must just tolerate it.
There is now a growing clamour for silence (and I acknowledge the oxymoron here) as communities are demanding that others—be they bar owners, individuals who feel they have a “right” to blast music through the community, or even, God help us, amplified “churches” harassing people with noise in God’s name-- must stop this practice.
The production of loud noise is not a “right” to which an individual is entitled. Indeed the opposite is the truth. People have a right to be in their homes, and their communities without having mega-decibel music, shouting, singing or laughter disturbing them.
And “disturbing them” means having these sounds invading their homes, sometimes even shaking their walls, and making conversation, listening to their own radio or TV, and even sleep, impossible.
And yet noise creation has become a “right” in this country, as people continue to disturb whole communities with their unnecessary din. People who complain that their rights to sleep, to converse within their own homes, or to quietly listen to their own music, are now considered unreasonable.
Their rights have been hijacked by the noisemakers. And all this must stop. And the Police, and the EMA, and the government must, not should, defend the population’s right to peaceful silence. And by rare examples, governments have, in the past, effectively stopped this unnecessary noise nuisance.
Some years ago, government banned loud music systems in Maxi Taxis (good thing that was not you, Jack!). Nobody died as a result, and Maxis are now quiet and peaceful.
But loud music systems appear to be allowed in private cars, and these drive through communities, booming noise to wake every man woman and baby. In my view it is dangerous for a driver to have that level of noise in their vehicle, and it is a nuisance and against the Noise Pollution Law. This government must immediately pass the same noise laws to all vehicles as applies to maxis.
But noise pollution is not only confined to residential communities. It is now being carried into our precious wilderness preserves. Last Easter, campers on remote Paria Bay carried portable generators, floodlights and believe it, huge amplifiers to this pristine beach and river mouth.
The booming sounds could be heard almost a mile inland, in the forest. Why would anyone leave the city to camp in the wilderness, and create harsh lighting (very harmful to nesting and hatching Leatherback Turtles) and booming noise in a place where a sense of reverence should prevail amidst nature’s silence? But it happened.
And there is a small facility, marketed as an “Eco-Lodge” about a mile uphill from the Asa Wright Nature Centre. The Centre has signs posted along its Nature Trails: “Noise disturbs animals”.
But when the “Eco-Lodge” up the hill throws a fete, the booming noise sweeps down through the forest, and visitors to our country, who came to Asa Wright for the serenity promised, wonder what is happening in paradise. Surely, no EMA permission has ever been granted for these disturbances, either at Paria, or in the Arima forest?
What can be done about noise pollution in paradise?
Well, years ago, visitors to the Caroni Bird Sanctuary used to take their “boom boxes” along on the little tour boats. After enough people complained about this outrage (and it was an outrage!), radios and music were banned in the Sanctuary.
And nobody died as a result of the silence now imposed!
And, the ongoing abuse of accessible beaches like Maracas and Las Cuevas by campers has been controlled by registration and the obedience of regulations established.
On beaches like Matura and Grande Riviere all access and lights have been banned during the turtle nesting season, which encompasses Carnival and Easter weekends. No persons have suffered as a result of these restrictions.
It is time to apply restrictions to other beaches along our remote North Coast, as turtles are also nesting at Madamas, Tacarib and Paria. While camping should not be banned, generators, floodlights and amplifiers should be. What need is there to take these lights and noise into pristine wilderness areas?
Noise pollution can be stopped, and must be stopped. No longer must less than one per cent of the population be allowed to consistently disturb all the rest of us. Both education and enforcement need to be applied.
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