Ronald Thwaites | Noise abuse

Had I endured the boredom of the late evening in Parliament when the amendment of the Night Noises regulations were taken before Christmas, I would have spoken and voted against any extension of the hours.

As it was, nowadays you are never sure which issue and in what order matters are going to be taken in Gordon House. It all seems to depend on when the prime minister is going to be present or to suit the convenience of a particular minister. Creeping autocracy is the norm, and I predict that this haphazard high-handedness will get worse after the next election.

As it turns out, we are contriving the need for a balancing act between the entertainment industry and the right of every citizen to peaceful and quiet enjoyment of their property.

I am looking forward to some bold individual or group instituting a suit claiming damages for noise nuisance against a party promoter, a screaming church congregation or any of the noise-polluting motorcyclists, and car and truck operators, who satisfy their craving for notice and fame by imposing their noise on everyone else. Since Parliament evidently can’t set reasonable standards, recourse to the courts is the only remedy.

Recently, I asked Minister Robert Montague what the Government proposed to do to quell unnecessary road noises. The gist of his reply was that vehicles would be checked when being tested for fitness and the abuse corrected.

This is a hopeless response.

First, because the majority of vehicles on our roads, especially motorcycles, are never subjected to such tests, and even if they were, the easiest thing is to alter the exhaust system once the test is passed.

All this which is now rampant is unmistakable evidence of a culture of advantage-taking and disorder, which is becoming a growing characteristic of Jamaican society. And whoever thinks that you can craft prosperity out of this morass is weak-minded and selfish.

Subsequently, even ministers Olivia Grange and Horace Chang, and PM Andrew Holness have had to warn against abuse of the very extension of party hours to which they, same ones, have added new permissiveness.

The weekend after the amendment, the music in the vicinity of Barbican ended at 6:30 on Sunday morning. Elsewhere, patrons complained that the new regulations were not being acknowledged by the police, who were simply demanding more money than usual for not locking down the event.

Designating entertainment zones is a good idea, but one must wonder on which offshore island, remote mountaintop or deep cane field these are going to be located, given human settlement everywhere and taking into account the unmeasurable volume which is apparently required to titivate patrons.

So in a country that has recorded declining levels of labour productivity since Independence, what prevents us going to a party at nightfall, enjoying music at tolerable decibels and ending at or before midnight so that everyone else who has to work or go to school or church next day can get reasonable quiet to do normal night-time activities, like sleeping, praying or making love?

With what sincerity can our leaders talk about creating a more orderly and gentle society in 2020 while at the same time adding to the midnight, sometimes every-night peril of the elderly, the infirm and the majority whose lives are guided by their circadian rhythm?

COMPLY ELSEWHERE

The same artistes and promoters who have caught the politicians’ ears by the threat of not voting and withholding their election-time lyrics, they comply with reasonable and considerate city regulations when they perform anywhere else in the world and make even more money than at home. Why not here?

A reasonable expectation would have been that elected representatives would set a standard upholding the values of punctuality, discipline and efficient work. Instead, they pander to vices to which we are all too familiar: the arrogance of those who think themselves celebrities, and a false populism that misaligns policy and productivity.

Colleague MPs, what lesson have we taught the students in our constituencies who are beguiled by foul-mouthed ‘music’ and a sleepless Sunday night, but are expected to turn out rested, emotionally adjusted and attuned to schoolwork on Monday morning?

In its heyday, the Romans at least gave their slaves bread and circus to keep them quiet. We are intensifying the circus but not the bread.

Ronald Thwaites is member of parliament for Kingston Central. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com