Promoters and artistes are definitely up in arms over the recent enforcement of the Night Noise Abatement Act. The act stipulates that entertainment events must lock off by midnight during the week and 2:00 am on weekends. Dancer/promoter Chi Ching Ching got a rude awakening on Tuesday night when his Chi Ching Tuesdays was ordered locked off at midnight by the police.

In his defence, Chi Chin Ching said he didn't even realise that the permit had said midnight, as he thought he had until 2:00 am. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, but then again, there are other mid-week sessions that are allowed to go on until 2:00 am - and in the case of Passa Passa, until 5:00 am - so confusion abounds.

Patrons having a good time at Passa Passa

And, in keeping with what has been termed a "loss of revenue", there are those who are calling for the powers that be to re-examine the Act with a view to putting in certain clauses that would make it okay for certain events to go beyond the stipulated time. According to Lutan Fyah's manager, "An event such as Western Consciousness which has been around for 20 years has become what one could call a community event for the people in that section of Westmoreland. It provides employment for some, and for others it is an event that they give their wholehearted support.

So Western Consciousness should be able to go on until 5:00 am and the police leave the people alone. Worrel King has a reputation of keeping a clean, conscious, almost family-oriented concert, so allow him to do his thing. And this is just one example. There are shows which are held at venues where nobody is being disturbed, so why should the police go and disturb the partying at those venues," he queried.

Well, it looks like this situation will be with us for quite some time. We notice that the promoter of Japsey Thursdays in Mo Bay has been collecting names to present a petition for the time to be extended after his event was locked off by the police. We heard GT Taylor at Rise to the Occasion making a similar call; perhaps there needs to be a cohesive effort spearheaded by an associaiton of promoters or some similar body to make a representation on this issue before things get out of control, like it almost did in Mo Bay when the Japsey Thursday fans had a quiet revolt.

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