– Traffic Chief says enforcement will be stepped up
– as authorities move to curb loud, continuous noise in communities

TRAFFIC Chief, Assistant Commissioner Mahendra Singh, says persons responsible for excessive noise nuisance can expect tougher enforcement and more impactful penalties as authorities move to address the problem on a sustained basis.
Singh made this known while speaking on the Guyana Chronicle’s Traffic Watch programme, during which he indicated that the existing approach, which can see offenders receiving warnings or relatively small fines, has not been sufficient to deter persons from creating excessive and continuous noise.
He said the authorities now need to “take things up a notch” as noise pollution continues to affect citizens across the country, particularly in urban areas where large numbers of vehicles and entertainment establishments attract crowds.
“Noise nuisance – noise, generally, when you look at it, it’s something that affects everybody, notwithstanding your age or gender,” Singh said while adding that excessive noise can disturb persons regardless of their circumstances.
Against this backdrop, he spoke directly about situations in which motor vehicles congregate in areas and produce loud music for prolonged periods.
Singh said there have been instances around the Marriott beachfront area where persons operate their vehicles with loud and continuous music until as late as 2 a.m., affecting guests and others in the surrounding area.
As such, he indicated that a greater focus will now be placed on enforcement through an inter-agency task force which addresses noise-related issues.
According to the Traffic Chief, the authorities will soon roll out a dedicated team to ensure that noise nuisance remains under sustained focus rather than being addressed only through periodic enforcement exercises.
He said the increased enforcement will also be accompanied by higher fines and penalties designed to have a stronger deterrent effect.
“The fines associated would be greater. The penalty associated, it would have more impact,” Singh said.
He went on to add that the objective is to deter persons from disturbing the peace of other citizens.
The Traffic Chief said the effort involves collaboration among the police and other agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with specialised equipment being used to establish whether noise levels exceed permissible limits.
He said the equipment is calibrated to determine whether noise exceeds the established limits of 70 decibels during the day and 65 decibels at night.
Further to this, he pointed to measures being introduced to encourage businesses in the entertainment sector to improve their establishments so that music can be enjoyed by patrons without unduly affecting neighbouring properties.
The Assistant Commissioner indicated that establishments should be able to cater to their customers while ensuring that entertainment activities do not come at the expense of persons living or operating businesses in surrounding areas.
Singh maintained that the strengthened approach is intended to balance the interests of the entertainment sector with the right of citizens to peace and quiet.