GPF taking ‘no nonsense’ approach to noise nuisance
THE Ministry of Home Affairs has said the Guyana Police Force (GPF) will adopt ‘no nonsense’ approach and the full force of the law will deal with offenders, as complaints about noise nuisance pile up countrywide. The ministry said, yesterday, that it continues to receive numerous complaints, from senior citizens, the sick, working parents, students and several other law abiding people, to the effect that they are being affected by loud, repetitive and continuous noise emanating from a range of places in the different Police Divisions.
The ministry said, in a release, that it has made checks at the locations, on specified days and times, and verified the validity and justification of the complaints.
The release said the ministry wishes to inform that the relevant Divisional Commanders of the GPF have been provided with the details pertaining to the complaints and directed to take appropriate action to ensure that Subsection (1) of Section 174 A of the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, as amended by Act No. 1 of 1989, is not breached.
The law states:“No person shall, in any road, street, public place or land or in building or premises, by operating or causing or suffering to be operated any stereo set, juke box, radio, wireless loudspeaker, gramophone, amplifier, automatic piano or similar instrument of music, or by any other means whatsoever, make or cause or suffer to be made any noise which shall be so loud and so continuous or repetitive as to cause a nuisance to occupants of any premises in the neighbourhood.”
Subsection (2) of Section 174A of the Summary Jurisdiction (Offence) Act as amended by Act No.10 of 1998 states that:”Any person who contravenes the provision of Subsection (1) shall be liable, on Summary Conviction, to a fine of not less than seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) nor more than fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) and to imprisonment for six months and, on a second or any subsequent conviction, to a fine of not less than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) and imprisonment for twelve months.
The places complained about are stated below: