Residents in and around Irving St demand that this abuse of their human rights be stopped
Stabroek News
February 25, 2020
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Dear Editor,
The Georgetown Mayor and City Council is filled with smart people.
– They know that giving permission to individuals and companies to put up oversized speakers along Irving Street and to play music at levels way beyond the safety limit of 85 decibels for hours and hours is permanently damaging the hearing of citizens in proximity and increasing their risk of heart and other health issues. And yet they do it.
– They know that being forced to listen to music at these levels for up to 20 continuous hours is sheer torture (these are the same measures used on terrorists to break their spirit). They know that during this period, residents who stay in the area would not be able to hear loved ones in distress calling; they would not be able to hear their phones ringing; they would not be able to think, read a book, or look at television, and communicating would mean shouting until they are hoarse. And yet the City Council allows it.
The police, once sympathetic and cooperative, are now saying they can do nothing because it is a Guyanese tradition. This practice that started about seven years ago is not a Guyanese tradition. The Mashramani parade is a wonderful Guyanese tradition, but these street DJs are not part of that. They conflict with the parade, preventing onlookers from hearing the music of the parade, and enjoying the full beauty and creativity of participants in the parade, because they don’t even have the decency to shut off their music when a float passes by. There is absolutely no reason why they should be allowed to set up anywhere along the route that the parade takes. They add nothing to the parade itself, and in fact take away from people’s enjoyment of the parade.
We appeal to the Ministries of Public Health, Social Protection, Public Security, and the Presidency, to take a good look at what is happening to residents in this area, especially elders, children and disabled individuals, whose health is being permanently damaged biannually (the street DJs are allowed to assault residents during independence celebrations as well). This has become a human rights issue, an issue of biannual reckless endangerment of a cross-section of the nation’s citizens.
There is also another reason why residents in the vicinity of Irving need to see this issue redressed: public security. Two years ago, an argument became a shootout at one of the street corners towards the end of the day, but the music from the street DJs was so loud, people just two houses away had no idea at the time that their lives were in danger.
Throughout the day of the parade, both the police and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), were continually informed of the infractions, but the madness of competing speakers along the road vying to be the loudest proved that neither the police nor the EPA could ensure that DJs stay within the safety limit set by law. So the only solution is to have all the roadside DJs moved to a non-residential area. Whether or not the DJs are aware of the permanent damage they’re doing to their own hearing, I’m sure if they understood the damage they’re causing to the neighbourhood, they would volunteer to move themselves.
– Residents in and around Irving Street demand the right to keep their hearing intact.
– Residents in and around Irving Street demand the right to enjoy Mash and Independence days without damage to their property (broken windows and personal effects) caused by vibrations from these improperly used loud speakers.
– Residents in and around Irving Street demand that this abuse of their human rights be stopped.
Residents will no longer allow themselves to be robbed of their health and well-being!
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address supplied)
for Queenstown and
Bel Air Park residents
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