Bartica resident fined for noise nuisance, traffic offences

A Bartica resident was this week fined a total of $150,000 after pleading guilty to several traffic and public nuisance offences at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court.
Kemo Abrams, 23, of First Avenue, Bartica, appeared before Magistrate Teriq Mohammed, where he faced three separate charges. The first charge was for making a loud and continuous noise, contrary to Section 174(1) of the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:02, as amended by the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Amendment Act 1998.
Abrams admitted to the offence and was fined $10,000.
He was also charged with violating the prohibition of tinted glass on vehicles, contrary to Section 103A(1) of the Road Traffic Amendment Act, Chapter 51:02.
The court heard that his vehicle had window tints beyond the legal limit. Abrams pleaded guilty to this charge and was fined a further $10,000.
Finally, he faced a charge for having an obscure identification mark on his motor vehicle, in breach of Section 13 of the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act, Chapter 51:02. Upon admitting the offence, he was fined $130,000.
In total, Abrams was ordered to pay $150,000 or serve six weeks in prison if he fails to settle the fines.

Noise nuisance
Earlier this year, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, announced that the government will continue using existing laws to address noise nuisance in the country until new legislation is introduced.
Nandlall acknowledged the persistent issue of loud music and disturbances, particularly from bars and entertainment venues, which frequently disrupt the peace of residents.
While residents have the right to enjoy music, Nandlall stressed that it should not infringe upon others’ peace. He expressed frustration over the continued non-compliance and mentioned that his office regularly receives complaints through social media and other channels.
As a result, there is a plan to amend the laws governing noise nuisance to better address the concerns. In the interim, penalties for noise nuisance remain in place under the Environmental Protection Act.
Fines range from $300,000 to $750,000 with a potential one-year imprisonment.
Additionally, under the Environmental Protection Regulations, fines range from $75,000 to $500,000 with a six-month prison sentence.
Nandlall also indicated that the Guyana Police Force will resume operations to seize loud music equipment from vehicles, as part of a broader campaign to curb noise disruptions.
The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) has set residential noise limits at 75 decibels during the day and 60 decibels at night. The ongoing enforcement and upcoming legislative changes aim to reduce the impact of noise nuisance across the country.