Dear Editor,
I wish to bring to the attention of the relevant authorities another instance of noise nuisance created by my neighbours in Cummings Lodge [names and address supplied]. It is becoming intolerable and unbearable when the music begins at around 4.30 am every day until they leave for work. It lasts for the whole day until around 10.30 in the night on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays and whenever one of them is at home. This seems to be a deliberate act of tormenting and torturing us and other people in the environs.
I have two children; one is preparing for CXC exams through a private school and the other is a student of Queen’s College. Both of them are complaining about the difficulty of studying with this noise, and when they need to take their rest, they can’t. I have other neighbours who work and attend the University of Guyana; also there are the elderly and the sick, and all of them are affected by the noise.
Numerous complaints have been made to the Turkeyen Police Station over the past year and to date nothing has been done. On one occasion, an officer came and warned the people, but as soon as he left, they upped the volume. No one seems to have respect for the law of this country.
May I state also that I have sent a copy of letters of complaint to Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Clement Rohee on two occasions. The letters were dated October 8, 2003 and November 29, 2004. I even saw him personally some time in October 2007 about this noise nuisance. Prior to this, I also went to ‘C’ Division at Cove & John, and made several reports at Sparendaam Police Station before Turkeyen Police Station came into existence.
I have been reporting this matter for over five years now. Can the relevant authorities please take the necessary action to stop this noise nuisance.
I am calling on the Minister of Human Services & Social Security to tell us where our rights are to have quiet in our homes so that we all can live decent and peaceful lives. The Minister of Education is doing a good job to improve the education system in our country, where education is the key to future success, but the question is how can the children and others learn when noise is affecting them? The Minister of Health can advise us about the risk of not getting enough sleep, especially when studying, and the damage which can result to the human body.
Would the Minister of Home Affairs tell us where the rights for people who want a decent and prosperous life to better Guyana are? Which is more important, music or education? Why ban it from minibuses only? Why not look at the villages where some people don’t have any regard whatsoever for others? Could he please use his good offices to curb this situation.
I do hope the representatives of UNICEF, which has an advertisement on TV for children to stay in school, will read this letter and can take any necessary action to enable my children to study peacefully as well as other children in the same situation.
I agreed with Dr Joyce Jonas’s letter in Sunday Stabroek of March 22 where she stated that we were entitled to quietness in our homes so that we could listen to our own music, chat with our friends and family, sleep if we choose and our children could study. I am listening, and I also join with others to rise in protest against this unacceptable invasion of our peace.
Yours faithfully,
Nadira Bheer
Editor’s note
We sent a copy of this letter to Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Clement Rohee, for any comments he might wish to make but received no response.
