Night club disturbing the peace

across the region from decisions based on those details.

Do we now have the confidence to support the national police, despite as many as a third of the officers in the force there having quit?

When the CARICOM meeting was held here in New Providence, one of our columnists, Malcolm Strachan, noted after the fact that to understand whether the meeting was a success or not, we had to give it time.

We had to wait and see what emerged as the outcome of talks, and see what deals were signed between nations in its wake, rather than jump the gun and declare success or failure.

The same should be true of the trip to Haiti. Was it a success? Well, the delegation got there, and it got back. If that’s the basis of declaring success, then well done, everyone is accounted for.

But true success will be measured in what springs from this meeting. Anything else is premature at best, with more than a dose of self-congratulation.

Where Mr Davis is correct is in declaring this a start of a journey towards a free and fair transparent election in Haiti.

That will be no small task. We hope for the success of that journey, not least of all so that people there can get the elected representation they desire, and ensure that the country has a leadership with the backing of its people.

That leadership is what Haiti will need if it is to throw off these troubled times, with gangs controlling large swathes of the nation’s land and leaving both police and civilians in fear of their lives.

The greatest success will be in giving Haiti a helping hand as it rises to stand on its own once more.

Thank you for this opportunity to publicly address a menace that has been plaguing residents of Misty and Pastel Gardens for a very long time.

The menace in question is the night club called the Farm, situated between Misty and Pastel.

In my opinion this night club is a hazard to both communities in that the operator is allowed to play the music much too loud, utterly ruining our weekends, especially our Sundays oftentimes going on into Monday mornings.

On one occasion they went on non-stop from Saturday until after five o’clock Sunday morning. And came back that Sunday night with the same thing.

We complained on numerous occasions to the police at the Carmichael Road Police Station. We even took out official complaints hoping that the matter would have been brought before a court.

Alas, we never got any response from the police as to the result of any investigation they may have done, if any, and if not, why.

When I go to the station, to find out what’s going on, the police’s explanation usually amounts to, there is nothing they can do because the club is licensed by the Licensing Authority.

“I don’t know why they would license a club like that to operate in a residential area,” one senior officer commented.

The police acknowledge that when a complaint is made a squad car is sent to tell the operator to turn down the music, but as soon as the squad car leaves, the music is turned back up, sometimes louder.

So, the operator of the club then is making fools out of the police. Surely, if the complaint is credible enough for the police to issue a desist order, why is the operator allowed to disobey a lawful order with impunity?

Who could be so inconsiderate to the residents of Misty and Pastel Gardens as to license a night club to blast residents with extremely loud noise at all hours of the night when persons are trying to get a good sleep?!

For, that which the operator of the club calls music, is a series of deep, thunderous, explosion-like boomings that vibrate violently through our bodies and our homes.

If you have ever been caught in traffic with one of those mobile boom-boxes, then you would know where I’m coming from.

Southern Shores, MP, Leroy Major is well aware of the problem. I brought it to his attention since the club is in his constituency. At one point he promised that it would never happen again.

Eventually we lodged a complaint with the Licensing Authority. Perhaps the club was operating outside its licensing restrictions with respect to volume on the music, we thought.

We spoke to a Compliance Officer. His explanation was that whereas they granted the club license as a restaurant and bar, the issuance and monitoring of music and dance license was the responsibility of the police.

Thus, the quandary we find ourselves in. The police are blaming Licensing Authority and Licensing Authority is blaming the police for this club being allowed to assault the community with noise. We are disappointed. The system has failed us.

Evidence abounds about the injurious impact of noise on the human body especially that high intensity, low frequency booming produced by highly amplified base, popular in today’s pop music.

The brain, heart and lungs, for example, are composed of more than 80 per cent water. Put a glass of water next to these booming sounds and see how the water vibrates. That is an indication of what happens to the body when exposed to these boomings.

Medical reports show that the heart is knocked out of rhythm as a result. This irregular heart beat can lead to high blood pressure, blood clots, strokes, and heart failure. It darkens the mood and weakens the immune system. This is especially so for seniors in our communities.

“Anything that can create agitation, irritation, or changes in blood pressure can trigger fibrillation,” explained Dr Shilpi Agarwal, a board-certified family medicine physician. “It’s not surprising that irritable noise, or noise in general when someone is looking for quiet, could trigger this in the cardiac system.”

Other negative effects of noise include low energy levels, poor performance at work, occupational errors, and an inability to make clear cut decisions, among other things. Sounds like what’s going on in our Bahamas today?

We would hate to believe that the operator of the Farm has such political influence and police protection over and above anyone else to entitle him/ her to trample under ordinances promulgated for the peace and goodwill of the communities.

We do not object to whatever form of entertainment offered but if the Farm is to continue at that location, then the music offered must not be so loud as to cause a public nuisance. And better still, only loud enough to accommodate patrons.

Other than that, their music and dance license must be rescinded until such time as the noise can be contained.

Anything above 85 decibels is an unhealthy disturbance of the peace. There are laws pertaining to disturbance of the peace. All we ask of the police is to please apply them.

GLADSTONE

THURSTON Nassau, February 27, 2023.