The playing of music in vehicles used for public transport has been outlawed with the passage of a Bill providing for this yesterday.
All political parties in the National Assembly gave their unanimous support to the bill which inserts a new section in the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act that prohibits the driver of a bus or hire car from playing or allowing any music to be played in the vehicle while it is plying its route or parked in a public place.
Penalties for failing to comply include a fine of not less than $7,500 or more than $15,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction. A subsequent conviction is punishable by a fine of not less than $10,000 nor more than $20, 000 and imprisonment for a year.
Stating that the playing of music in public transport was a “burning issue”, Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, in opening the debate, said that there are certain technical, moral and cultural issues associated with the bill. “When looked at in its totality, obviously the bill is aimed at addressing loudness and…lewdness of this music as well,” he declared.
He noted that complaints have been “legion” and many expressed annoyance at the type of music being played in public transportation. He said that the objective of the bill is aimed at penalizing the driver of such motor vehicles which produces sound played in his/her vehicle.
The minister stated that it is recognized that the vehicles provide a service to members of the travelling public but it is important that those service providers recognize that the service must be provided with certain standards attached to it. “The standard associated with that service could never be music being played in a manner that is unacceptable in society as a whole”.
Stating that some may say that there is draconian strength in the bill, Rohee alluded to some drivers turning down their music whenever the police are around and turning up the volume when they are gone, making it difficult to address the problem. He noted that the current laws provide for police addressing noise nuisances but in reality, when complaints are made and the police investigate, there is no noise but the instruments are there.
“If we are to seriously address this problem we obviously have to deal with it in the absolutist sense, we have to make the legislation absolute”, he stated. He said that with the legislation it is not only a question of the nuisance value but also a question of public safety and security and making the roads more accident free. He declared that the music in public transport is obnoxious and unacceptable and further noted that public education would have to be undertaken so that all parties involved get on board so that the bill can be successfully enforced and generally accepted and honoured.
Speaking in support of the bill, PNCR-1G parliamentarian, Clarissa Riehl noted that noise nuisance is just one element of the lawlessness in the society. She read sections of letters published in the Stabroek News where persons had complained about this noting that “the problem is pervasive”.
Riehl pointed out that the most important part would be educating the people and enforcing the laws. Citing several incidents, she said that education would have to start with the police, as many times they themselves don’t see anything wrong with loud music.
She emphasized that another question is enforcement and the culprits being placed before the courts “or else we would be passing this legislation in vain”.
Minster of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy noted that loud music contributes to the carnage on the roads and declared that the party had no apologies for the draconian nature of the legislation. He noted that noise was an environmental health problem as well. Alliance For Change parliamentarian, Raphael Trotman as well as PPP/C member, Neil Kumar added their voices in support.
In closing off the presentations, Rohee agreed that the problem is usually with enforcement but recalled Trotman’s call for giving the lawmen “the tools”. He also agreed that more culprits needed to be brought before the courts.
(Gaulbert Sutherland)
