SPANISH TOWN, St Catherine – The St Catherine Parish Council (SCPC) is to clamp down on wayward promoters of musical events and has threatened to de-list promoters and owners and operators of venues who continue to broadcast lewd and disparaging music at events in the parish.

The council has documented 13 major recommendations designed to counter what it described as the illegal, antisocial and aberrant behaviour of promoters who they say contribute to the purveyance of immoral and suggestive conduct in communities.

According to recommendation nine, “permits will be denied if there was a breach for a previous event by the same promoter/operator or at the same venue”.

“A promoter could also be de-listed for breaches and would have to wait for a year before that promoter/operator could actually get re-listed,” the recommendation stated.

The council has also recommended that applications for permits must state the source of electricity to be used as most times the promoters/operators illegally connect their equipment to Jamaica Public Service lines.

“.Most times they (promoter/operator) get their power supply from throw-ups on wires (JPS lines). The Jamaica Public Service Company is to be routinely notified of events/venue schedule (so as) to add another layer of monitoring,” recommendation 12 stated.

The concern was first raised at the council’s monthly general meeting in April and was moved to act amidst the constant complaints from councillors and residents, particularly parents.

Highlights of the strict 13-clause package include an incorporation of specific terms and conditions to be met by promoters of entertainment events, whether on air or at places of amusement, before the council grants a permit to stage such events. The owners and operators of venues hosting such events must also be restricted by the updated regulations.

The municipal body has demanded that the new rules become conditions for issuing the permit and that the regulations should “seek the co-operation of the police by making them part of the process”.

Government, during the 1990s, instituted legal guidelines to block the airing of negative sentiments or comments such as those encouraging murder, physical abuse, drug running, the use of illegal guns and sexual misconduct.

The legislation included a limitation in the operations of sound systems at high volumes in dancehalls and other venues where it disturbs the residents, especially late at nights.

The new rules empowered the police to respond to calls from residents to shut down such events, request the operators to cease playing or order the promoters to close the session if they breach the 2:00 am deadline imposed by Parliament.

The council is currently beefing up its cadre of municipal police to supervise entertainment venues through random checks to ensure that promoters/operators obey the specifications of their permits.