Dear Editor,
This is what happens when lawlessness spirals and becomes out of control. On Monday 6th Oct, 2014 sometime around 16 hrs in the Sheriff St area, a vehicle with a group of people both male and female began disturbing the peace with loud music. When asked to turn the music down, one of the offenders asked `fuh wuh’. It was as if that request was the ultimate crime for the man was clearly agitated. He then began walking around as if he was surveying the area, looking down in our yard from the closed gate trying to intimidate.
I was then advised by my relative that the man had left the scene in a taxi and there was a suspicion he was up to no good but his companions were left behind with the music still being played at a level to annoy. I then went out and spoke to another male who was there, telling him that there was a small child sleeping and they were disturbing the child. He was then advised by the women there to turn the music down. There wasn’t much relief.
Not long after, a much larger vehicle with three men connected to the persons there and whom I presumed were sent by the man who left earlier in the taxi pulled up. We were both verbally abused and punished with music blasting from the vehicle. This was an act of revenge. I made a report to the station and the vehicle left when they realized this was done.
The abuse continued by the women. When an onlooker decided to scold them it was as if they wanted to draw blood from that person. They were cursing and threatening that person then they eventually left.
Editor, the noise abuse in my area continues unabated, every night it’s no less than five hours of heavy bass beating at my brain and it’s even longer at the weekends, my health continues to suffer. The D J from one particular entity seems to get some sort of sadistic pleasure turning up the bass extra loud. It doesn’t matter how easy that music appears to be playing at some point and time the bass is pushed up for that’s what it is all about for DJ’s. Calls to him are to no avail; it is as if this individual has no heart, or it is probably located under his toes. There is no consideration for our very young school children, there is no consideration for people who have to work, there is no consideration for persons who just want to sit and enjoy the peace and comfort in their homes. These people lack the understanding that they have a space to dwell and the noise they wish to make should be contained there. Nothing is being done to ensure that the correct procedure is used to soundproof.
The lawlessness at another entity sees partying going until daybreak with loud music tormenting residents from vehicles parked there. One goes to bed listening to that booming sound and wakes up hearing it.
I am a published writer, my right to sit at my computer to put my ideas down on paper especially at nights when it is supposed to be quiet and relaxing is severely violated, my right to even think is being cruelly denied. I am struggling to complete my second collection of poems for children, something that is scarce here in Guyana, writing for children I mean. I am one of a handful of writers doing this, endless letters to the authorities four years now isn’t making any real impact. The terror continues.
The authorities need to do more to stamp out this crime and to come up with a better plan to combat same. The Police should be empowered to prosecute and take offenders to court like their counterparts abroad. They should not throw the burden on an already scared, timid society which is unwilling to stand up and demand and claim the peace and comfort they are entitled to in their homes.
Yours faithfully,
P. Lewis
