EMA, police team up for noise-pollution crackdown

Police officers are receiving training in the use of noise meters ahead of Carnival 2024.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) and the police said talks were under way to increase the number of police officers in the EMA’s Environmental Police Unit (EPU) and do training in the use of noise meters after a recent Appeal Court ruling.

Last month, the court ruled fete promoter Wild Goose Ltd was not entitled to any damages after the EMA shut down its Tailgate Carnival event at the Queen’s Park Savannah on February 26, 2019, two hours early for breaches to noise levels.

Justices of Appeal Allan Mendonca, Prakash Moosai and Gillian Lucky deemed the noise generated by the fete a “public nuisance.”

The police and EMA met on November 3, to clarify and discuss the way forward after the ruling, given what it described as the “approaching periods of heightened event activity,” referring to the upcoming Christmas and Carnival periods.

The police team was led by DCP Curt Simon and included ACP Kelvin Thompson, ACP Collis Hazel, ASP Ferguson, ACP Subero and ACP Winston Maharaj. The EMA team was led by managing director Hayden Romano and included senior officers from its technical and legal departments.

The police said they had “recommitted to treating with noise pollution” as they noted the part of the ruling which said, “As part of a police officer’s duty, and in the exercise of his discretion in all the circumstances of the case, we are of the view that the decision may rightly be made to take all reasonable steps to immediately abate a public nuisance.”

They said another part of the ruling highlighted the police’s powers under section 70 of the Summary Offences Act, which says, “Anyone who causes a nuisance to the public is liable to a fine of $1,500 or imprisonment for six months."

The public was reminded that they could contact the nearest police station about residential noise.

People affected by noise pollution from events, commercial and industrial sources, were encouraged to use the EMA’s hotline (367-8824), call 226- 4EMA (4362) or e-mail complaints@ema.co.tt.