Dear Editor,

Far from the seat of governance (Kingston), Negril has sunk into a daily, loathsome hell of noise, with dire consequences to our tourism efforts.

A normal week includes jet skis roaring full speed ahead from 8:30 am along with the swimming boys shouting their offers of rides to the swimmers, until dusk.

Then there’s the racing of traffic along the Norman Manley Boulevard and the Lighthouse Road as well as motorbikes racing against each other. By 2:00 pm, sometimes earlier, seven days per week, we have cars or boats with loudspeakers promoting in garbled language at high volumes some shows, back and forth around Negril. Then we have the shows sometimes starting in the afternoon, others much later – all “bomblasting” not only their neighbours but often reaching 800 to 1000 metres away with the deep-sounding bass at full volume! The deejays are forever screaming in their microphones, enticing the public to shout for one thing or another. Then you have the roaring cars, motorbikes, etc, leaving the shows sometimes at 6:00 am or any other time the promoters choose to stop! The next day more of the same!

Many repeat guests, who have been coming to Negril for years and years, bringing in friends and relatives, not only have crossed Jamaica off their cherished destination list but have spread the word that the noise factor is unbearable in Negril.

It may be of relevance to point out that as citizens of Jamaica we understand that Parliament passed The Noise Abatement Act in March 1997, and the Act having been duly gazetted, became law.

We were all unaware that a minister at the stroke of a pen could change the terms of that law and authorise an extension of the time limits stated by the Noise Abatement Act to some shows.

A letter was sent to the Minister of Sports, Entertainment and Culture Olivia Grange, regarding this matter on March 27, 2009, but the same approach was repeated this month of March 2010, granting other extensions to some shows. We would like to point out that such extensions make a mockery of the law, prevent any enforcement of the 1997 law, and render the police helpless. Really now, why are some shows extended and others are not?

It is worth noting that the overwhelming majority of these shows’ promoters have neither hotels, villas, guesthouses nor rooms to rent, therefore are not concerned by the many complaints from guests or residents. They have open-air areas and are interested only in the cash earned during their shows.

On February 5, 2010 a letter was sent to the Minister of Tourism Mr Edmund Bartlett requesting that we meet with him about the noise pollution of Negril. We are still awaiting a response.

Sylvie Grizzle

Director Emeritus

Negril Chamber of Commerce

Westmoreland