Letter to the Editor: Why doesn’t EMA protect residents from noise pollution?

The following Letter to the Editor was sent to Wired868 by Josephine S Aché as a call to arms against noise pollution, which intensifies during the Carnival season:

Photo: Soca star Machel Montano moves the crowd at a fete during a previous Carnival season. (Copyright The Playmakers)
Photo: Soca star Machel Montano moves the crowd at a fete during a previous Carnival season.
(Copyright The Playmakers)

This is an Open Letter to The Air Committee, responsible for the Out In South Fete, held at the SAPA Car Park on Friday 15 January 2016, as well as the Environmental Management Authority, who are a complete waste of time.

They do nothing to protect our citizenry from these inconsiderate, lawless, money-making, noise polluters who yearly get away with decibel crime!

They do not give a damn about the residents living in and around San Fernando and its environs. I have a serious issue with that.

I messaged this particular Committee, via their Facebook Page, about two or three times in the last few weeks, just prior to the event relaying my concerns. Their previous fete, in 2015, affected many of the residents in and around the SAPA area.

They responded to me thanking me for my message, saying that they would, of course, take my concerns into consideration… Yeah right!

Photo: The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) logo. (Courtesy EMA.co.tt)
Photo: The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) logo.
(Courtesy EMA.co.tt)

Quite typical of most Trinis today, talk is cheap! Money talks and we know the rest… Nothing happened.

Their music test run began from about 7.30 pm last Friday and started off at an acceptable decibel level. But as the fete swung into full gear, the decibel levels just kept rising as the DJs amped up the volume.

Please understand that I love and celebrate Carnival just as much as the average Trini. However, I do not understand why residents who aren’t ticket paying feters must be subjected to speakers facing the road and a baseline that vibrates one’s house until 4.00 am.

Added to this, the DJ(s) scream constantly imploring people to jump and wine and wave a rag or whatever. One could be forgiven for thinking a super aerobic-thon was in progress.

Isn’t the music good enough for its patrons to want to wine and carry on? Just asking.

Just when you think your sleepless night cannot get any worse—POW! KAPOW!! Fireworks at 3.19 am!

Take dat in yuh rookungkoonkotun!!

Photo: A resident enjoys a firework display.
Photo: A resident enjoys a firework display.

Trini sweet too bad. Party, have a time, wine away the recession. But fete promoters—not the paying feters—need to take responsible actions regarding the wellbeing of the elderly, the very young, pets, birdlife and the list goes on…

Speak up, Environmental Management Authority (EMA). We can’t hear you over the deafening roar of the music and yelling.

Where are you? Wining in compliance?

Who is going to protect the rights of the non-partygoers? Whose job it is to have their people at these type of events, so as to ensure these situations do not become a reality?

Where is the new testing equipment they spoke of so openly in the media, just a few short months ago?

One thing that stuck out was the dearth of popular or new calypsos. Maybe it’s my hearing, which must be shot by years of party noise in my house, but I recognised very few. Maybe it’s a copyright issue. Just asking?!

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago soca entertainer Swappi tries to rouse the ground during halftime between Trinidad and Tobago and the United States at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain on 17 November 2015.  (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago soca entertainer Swappi tries to rouse the ground during halftime between Trinidad and Tobago and the United States at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain on 17 November 2015.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

Anyone with similar issues and wanting to make their voices heard like so many of us can feel free to join my newly created Facebook Public Group entitled: Trini’s AGAINST Noise Pollution:

Josephine S Aché

 

Editor’s Note: Click HERE to view or join the Facebook group, Trini’s AGAINST Noise Pollution.

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23 comments

  1. “consequences of non-compliance, which can include enforcement action by the EMA and the possibility of further action by the EPU” ok then…but nothing happened to those two supposed offenders…so…how are they encouraging compliance?

  2. TT is extremely primitive from a legislative enforcement perspective

  3. Because nobody should object to “we culture”, no matter how obnoxious and ridiculous it really is!
    To be clear – it ain’t MY culture!

  4. They like the Integrity Commission ,waste of TAX PAYERS money.

  5. oh laaard who is the EMA again steups they are not even relevant in this country…….they protect no one………..

  6. Another question is who DOES the EMA protect?!

  7. Another toothless bulldog, just costing the taxpayers money!

    • Anyone ever heard of make work programmes…that’s what EMA is all about!…at least with the fetes you have an idea up front…what about FIRE WORKS! SCRATCH BOMBS! BAMBOO BUSSING! etc., at Christmas time! New Years! Independence and any big event…. is noise in yuh head!!! invest in some ear plugs and be HAPPY!!! Jus Saying…..

  8. Definition of frustration:
    Trying to contact the EMA at night when noise is going on…

  9. Wireworks at 3:45 AM? Isn’t that illegal? Don’t you have to get permission for that? where was the Fire Service, and the even Police? The organisers can still be charged….come on EMA – oh sleeping giant that thou art.

  10. The beaches is another issue of contention with me.
    Why do persons feel the need to place their speakers on their car hoods and blast music for everyone to hear.

    If I wanted to hear music, I would listen to genres of my own liking. I go to the beach to relax, to hear the waves lapping on the shore; to hear the breeze blow through the trees; not to hear about rum and wine (the dance).
    Last Saturday morning I went to quinam beach in South; thought it would have been a peaceful time with my family, only to hear music from cars assaulting my ears. The Police passed by and did not tell anyone anything.

    That is why I hesitate to go to the place I love so much – the beach.

  11. …or noise pollution in general.

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