Noise nuisance – “silent zone” for UG Road

Dear Editor,
I wish to once more bring to the public’s attention the unpleasant occurrence of “noise nuisance” that plagues our country.
Most Guyanese, when travelling or studying at universities overseas, have observed the notification “Silent Zone”. Of course, playing music and entertainment is not allowed.
But here in Guyana, at the University Road, where we have the Cyril Potter Teachers’ Training College, a nursery school, and one block away is the University of Guyana, there are several beer gardens where loud music is played by taxis and other vehicles with the instruments in their trunks, playing for hours, until late at nights and early the next day.
I reported to Mr. Lloyd Alleyne, Chief Engineer, and subsequently to the other engineer and to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor about the breach in the building code of a rum shop at Fifth Street, Cummings Lodge, from 17 May 2010 and onwards. The entrance of the building is One foot from the road and three feet from my fence, whereas the City’s Building Code requires the building to be erected 8 feet from the road and 7 feet from the fence of the next building. However, nothing ever came out of that complaint.
The rum shop at Fifth Street was closed for over a year because of COVID; this is the most unlawful and loudest rum shop in the entire village of Cummings Lodge. Recently, actions have been undertaken to reopen this rum shop. Of course, the noise will be explosive. I and other residents have made complaints to the Commissioner of Police; Police Professional Authority; the Minister of Home Affairs and all the Police stations in the district; the DPP; and where ever help could be accessed, but the noise never stopped.
What usually happens when the Police answer a complaint and visit the rum shop, the noise will be toned down for about an hour, and after the Police leave, the music starts again, but this time extremely loud, as if with malice.
My appeal now is to the Government, the Minister of Home Affairs, and the Education Minister, to make U.G. Road and areas in close proximity to the University of Guyana and the Cyril Potter Teachers Training College a “Silent Zone”, because the Police have failed to enforce the law over the years.

Sincerely,
Khalil Ahmed