Dear Editor,
I am a teacher in need of your help. I am regularly surrounded with obnoxious and deafeningly loud music, which is affecting me emotionally and mentally, as well as health-wise (severe headaches). Noise pollution has been scientifically proven to cause high blood pressure, and there is a senior person in my family who has been having high blood pressure problems over the last couple of months. I have complained to the Providence Police Station repeatedly on several previous occasions, about two separate persons, but have gotten minimal results from this.
There is a shop on the Covent Garden Island, EBD which hosts noisy parties which have been spanning at least two days quite recently (starting in the afternoon and running over to the next morning, stopping for about half a day, and then resuming). The police officers at the Providence Police Station have a favourite statement, which is, “They have a pass.” I was told once, “Look madam, them people get a pass and we can’t do nothing.” Once the police showed up, but the noise grew louder instead of decreasing in volume, and continued into the morning, apparently with officers present, based on what the officer on the phone told me. One officer was quite rude the last time I called to complain. Today is May 5. The current party started some time yesterday afternoon with the sun in the sky and is currently ongoing. It is now 4 in the morning of the national holiday. Apparently the aim is to continue until the sun is seen again.
I was under the impression that passes have cut-off times and are dated. I have even called the Brickdam Police Station before to complain with the same result, and even sent a letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ email, as advertised on their website before. They never responded.
But the most bothersome thing is this: to my understanding there is no law governing the loudness itself of noise in our country. In any case, if there was such a law then my assumption is that in any law-abiding society it would be enforced by the respective authorities. I think that based on scientific research the safest decibel level for noise exposure for people is around 80d to 89d. There are instruments which you can buy for the police to test this. Please aid the passing of such a law. I do not trust the police as I feel my case of dissatisfaction is one of “who knows who gets through, and who doesn’t suffers.” If that is not the case then it is a case of bare ‘eyepass’ and total disregard for law and order. Please help stop these environmental polluters from getting away with their criminal activities. Please advise me on how I can legally get positive results and justice. I hope to get a positive response from the President. You can only imagine what it feels like to be uncomfortable and ill in your own home because of ignorant selfish people external to it, who have no respect for those around them.
There is a village day today, and I am surrounded with noise coming from at least three different locations. I will not call the police today because they will not help me, and I do not have time to waste. I know that any good officer should tell the offenders to lower the volume of their music. But I have not been blessed with this benefit to date. Again, I am begging for help. This noise must stop. If it does not then it would be confirmed for me that this is a lawless country.
Pain is not only physical. I am most affected emotionally. I am a CPCE student, a mother, wife and daughter, in addition to being a teacher. I do believe that I deserve the justice which I seek, and I must be a good role model to my child and my students. I don’t steal, I serve society in the best manner I see possible, and pay my taxes. I am honest and have never accepted a bribe for anything. I deserve and expect to get justice.
Please note that I am not the only affected person; others are just too fed up of complaining for fear of being victimised, and because they have already concluded that the police will do absolutely nothing at the Providence Police Station. As a consequence they do not even care to lodge a complaint. You will see my complaints, at least three, in their records, about two different people. But currently, one of them, which I have been complaining about for months, continues to blare its sometimes vulgar, intrusive and most irritating noise. This shop owner and the DJ should feel the brunt of the law. I refuse to let my daughter grow up under such conditions, and I have absolutely no plans to change my residence. I have lived here all my life and no one will force me to leave my home. I will not let anyone pollute my child’s mind any longer with their crude and disrespectful lyrics and noise.
Yours faithfully,
Miss Singh
Government Secondary School Teacher
Editor’s note
We are sending a copy of this letter to Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee for any comment he might wish to make.
