After complaints from San Fernando residents about noise pollution in the city, the mayor and the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) took a tough approach last Friday, pulling down speakers and equipment blasting loud music from outside business places on High Street. Saying that he wanted to ensure law and order in his city, San Fernando mayor Dr Navi Muradali also called for people who live in government apartments to stop playing loud music and annoying their neighbours and the public, saying he had written to the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) asking it to tell tenants there would be penalties for continuing to do so.
He said city police were also being trained how to use decibel meters by the EMA, so they would be able to do their own tests in future. He told members of the media on High Street: “We are here today, with the EMA and city police and the litter wardens, on a joint exercise. “First we tackled bar owners who were playing very loud music. Right now we are dealing with store owners who have loudspeakers and music equipment outside of their stores, advertising their products and playing very loud music.” No one was charged during the exercise, even though in a similar exercise a week earlier the violators of noise pollution control rules were warned that having speakers playing loud music outside their business places was unlawful and could result in their being charged.
On that occasion, Muradali said 16 violators were identified. “Today, some continued to play loud music. They were warned again by the EMA police to remove their equipment and in the future, if they discover that they are not complying, their equipment could be seized by the police and they could be charged under the Summary Offences Act,” Muradali explained. Cpl Carl Forde of the EMA police also told business owners there were alternative means to loud music that would attract customers. He also said they needed a licence from the Copyright Association (COTT) to play music in their businesses.
During the tour, the team came across vendors, who were warned about the risks incurred in vending without a licence. They also spoke to fruit vendors about being properly attired to sell foodstuff. Legitimate business owners were told the hours for placing their garbage on the streets for disposal were between 5 and 6 pm. The mayor cautioned that putting out garbage outside those hours could result in their being charged by litter wardens and being hauled before a magistrate. Muradali said Friday’s exercise was twofold, in that it was also used to launch the litter-warden programmes.