Dear Editor,
Please allow me the space to applaud the people of Berbice for speaking out against noise nuisance.
As a people, we must start respecting each other’s right to the privacy and peace of their own homes. Our children, senior citizens, newborn babies and bed-ridden persons are all citizens with equal rights.
There must be greater respect for our time of worship and the private space of every person’s home. To operate with impunity because someone has a wedding, funeral, party, or other occasion is to remove the right of others to enjoy their marriages, birth, funeral, birthday in silence if they so choose.
1. I have witnessed first-hand my aunt and other elderly persons who were abused by wedding house music, rum shops’ music and cars owners who decide to stop “next-door” and play their music so loudly that our senior citizens get sick. The police sometimes show up – but the music resumes when the police leave.
2. Children cannot join their online classes because some nuisance a house or two away decides to play music loudly. An online lesson is impossible for even University students.
3. It is impossible to participate in a conference call – or even a call with family and friends –because some abuser drives up next door and blasts his noise.
4. Morning prayers, meditations, Sunday morning mandirs and churches are abused by passing announcement vehicles that have no respect for the time of worship of others. While making these announcements may be a social/public service, it must be respectful of time.
5. Disabled children, bed-ridden persons, elderly persons, newborn babies, and others weep uncontrollably because of the decibels of hate pouring forth from someone who wants the world to hear his “music”.
6. Offensive lyrics are forcibly amplified to our homes, temples, masjids, churches.
And the list goes on – we have even experienced instances when the abusers turn the “boxes” and “trunks” towards you just because you speak up and speak out.
Editor, people have a right to enjoy their music but NOT at the expense of the suffering children, the elderly and the ill and bed-ridden persons.
As a people, we must respect the rights of everyone. While the authorities and police can undoubtedly play a more significant role in curbing noise nuisance, it is up to each citizen to respect the other. As a people, we can do better at respecting each other.
I join the call to the EPA, the police and others to relook at the regulations and their enforcement. The facilitation of this abuse must be curbed if we really care for equal human rights for all.
Yours faithfully,
Dr Yog Mahadeo
