Publication: Daily Nation
Paper Section And Page: 10
Paper Date: Mon, Jun 5, 2000
By-Line: John Whittingham
I NOTED with interest the remarks made by Beverly J. Walrond, QC, in the article entitled Noise Loophole, which was published in the Daily Nation some months ago.
The good lawyer is absolutely right in saying that we need legislation to control noise in Barbados. I have been involved in numerous noise measurement activities over the last few years, and I am frankly appalled at the levels of sound pressure at which some night clubs, karaoke bars and even private citizens play their music. Many times they can be heard over a kilometer away from the source. It is amazing that no-one has produced any legislation to deal with this nuisance.
I have in my possession many municipal ordinances for the United States, Great Britain and the European Community, which are almost unanimous is setting the sound levels permitted in residential and industrial settings. If these sound levels were used in Barbados, not only would we be spared a great deal of annoying audible intrusion, but the police would be able to lay charges on the spot for violation of the ordinance. All they would need is an inexpensive sound meter of the type designed for balancing loudspeaker outputs.
The legislation I admire most is that which controls the maximum sound level allowed at the offender's property boundary line. This means they can play music as loud as they like, provided the specified level is not exceeded where the noise crosses over into an adjacent property, or a public road. What they do in any enclosed premises is of no concern, provided the above criterion is met.
There is a feeling among those who produce these loud sounds, e.g. disc jockeys, karaoke bars and night-clubs, that they are entitled to play music as loud as they like. This is not so, unless while doing so they do not infringe on other peoplešs right to enjoy a reasonably quiet environment. The same applies to loud music in minibuses and other public transport vehicles. The driver has no right to subject his passengers to music played at excessive sound levels. In metropolitan countries, the playing of music on public transport systems is absolutely proscribed.
It is time the Ministry of the Environment got down to rectifying this omission by proposing legislation to the House of Assembly that would address this problem. I would personally be glad to help by providing copies of existing legislation in my possession.
- John Whittingham