What to do about noise nuisance

THE EDITOR: What to do when noise from an establishment with a liquor licence, but no dance hall licence, is affecting you and your loved ones?

Call your district police station regarding the issue of a public nuisance under Section 70 of the Summary Offences Act. It is best done during the noise disturbance so that the police officer on the other end of the call can clearly hear the background sound coming from the nuisance noise.

Make a ten-second video recording, to coincide with the time of the phone call to the police.

Send an e-mail to the TTPS – corporatecommunications@ttps.gov.tt; Licensing Committee and the Magistrate’s Court.

In the e-mail, state the following:-

The name and address of the offending party (most likely a businessplace); date and time of the public nuisance; date and time of the phone call to the identified police station; with or without the name of the police officer who took the report.

You can also state that the police officer refused to state or give their name and number. You can also state that the call was terminated, as this is sometimes the outcome.

State whether you are living within 400 metres of the establishment, in order to make an objection of continuation of its liquor licence. Attach the video to the e-mail.

You may also copy Beyond The Tape and the various media houses.

This process needs to be repeated on every occasion a public nuisance is committed.

Just add to the original e-mail to show the trend and thread. This may be a bit tedious, but if you want the authorities to act, you should provide them with the information/evidence to act on.

Note well that not all establishments with a liquor licence will have a dance hall licence.

Best of luck.

PHILIP AYOUNG-CHEE

San Fernando