Is the EMA a 'toothless bulldog'?

THE EDITOR: What is the point of offering public the opportunity to submit comments to the EMA, to noise-filled events which will impact on the peace and serenity of people?

Is it simply mandatory to alert residents, and yet absolutely nothing is done to safeguard the very people to be affected by these events?

No check on proximity of the event to residents, knowing how disastrous the impact of excessively loud noise is on humans, animals and our lovely environment.

It begs the question, does the EMA remain a "toothless bulldog" through no fault of its own, and simply make the public aware of huge noise-pollution events as a "saving grace" to the powers that be?

Why do fete/party/club owners, the Port of Spain Corporation et al have more rights, through the years, than the citizens who are supposed to be protected from such noise by the laws of our land?

The constant disregard for upholding and implementing the laws by the powers that be, who apparently are not aware of the Summary Offences Act, is stark.

Money-making, noise-filled events are approved by, one assumes, a legal authority which may or may not be aware of the environment in which said events are held.

The constant noise pollution with which residents have had to deal, as we do live in a concrete jungle, for the most part, is horrendous. Yet we residents sit and wonder as we seeing the media notices from the EMA to submit comments.

Is there a government body, a ministry perhaps, which handles these fete promoters, bars, clubs, event managers, party promoters in order to ensure compliance with existing anti-noise pollution laws?

So on to the Oval on July 9, a Sunday, from 4 am, when people would be set to break noise-pollution regulations.

CHANDRA LEE KONG

St Clair