THE lifting of the COVID-19 containment measures has been the cause of displeasure among residents in sections of New Kingston in St Andrew.

The discontent, according to residents, occurs mostly on weekends and stems from loud music at popular night spots as well as eager restaurant patrons and partygoers parking their motor vehicles indiscriminately outside events, which often causes a traffic pile-up.

According to Councillor Kari Douglas (Jamaica Labour Party, Trafalgar Division), her cellphone is regularly flooded with calls and messages from New Kingston residents who either complain about the noise nuisance or impassable streets. Following a recent meeting with stakeholders, she said the police have been moving with alacrity to address the problem and issuing warnings to people who fail to comply.

“Anywhere between 11:00 pm right up to 3:00 am, my phone rings off the hook. Messages come in from New Kingston residents complaining about the nuisance from noise and on-street parking that sometimes causes congestion. There is a police team in place dealing with the enforcement and I am pleased so far that we have been reaping success,” she said, highlighting that the problem of congestion on roads such as Haining and Belmont roads has reduced in the past two weeks.

She warned motorists who park on the roads that, through a collaborative effort between the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), their motor vehicles will be towed.

Douglas also said that she has had dialogue with Mayor of Kingston and St Andrew Delroy Williams about possibly including new conditions in the approval system for amusement licences.

But at the same time, Douglas highlighted that many of the people who purchased residential properties in New Kingston, spent more than $30 million for their units, have been there for many years, and are therefore entitled to peace of mind while at home.

“A lot of the residents have been there from before most of the business people. They have good investment in property in the area. A townhouse in New Kingston, I don’t think it goes for less than $40 million nowadays. People have made great, substantial investment and they have a right and are entitled to their privacy and just the comfort of being able to operate without nuisances in their backyard. I am trying my best to ensure that enforcement takes place for that to be achieved,” she said, pointing out that commander of the St Andrew Central police division, Senior Superintendent Marlon Nesbeth and his team have shutting down parties after complaints are lodged.

Efforts since last week to get a comment from head of the St Andrew Central Police Division, Senior Superintendent Marlon Nesbeth were unsuccessful.

On Tuesday, the Jamaica Observer visited the New Kingston police post and was told by a constable that the sergeant had told him that he has not seen any reports of noise nuisances in the station diary.

William Reeson, former president of the New Kingston Citizens’ Association, said on Monday that the main concern at the moment, is noise levels. He appealed to sound system operators to turn the music down.

“I would tell promoters to do enough to remind the sound system people to keep the noise down. Instead of bringing these heavy sound boxes, bring smaller boxes to keep the noise levels down. Control the deejays when they come in and turn down the mic. A big nuisance is when you have a deejay who speaks over the mic, his voice can really travel. The higher you are, the noise gets louder,” he said.

One female resident of New Kingston told the Observer on Tuesday that loud music is causing landlords to lose tenants and hard-working people to feel tired at work, due to a lack of sleep. Regarding the parking nuisance, the resident said the situation is so bad that security guards hired to protect property use these night events to earn extra money by providing parking.

“From Thursday night and sometimes from Wednesday night, there is no god-almighty peace! Sounds come from left right and centre. People cannot sleep. Apartments are unable to rent because of the noise, especially the apartments that directly face these places. They are selfish and inconsiderate.

“One resident who is a teacher told me that on Monday morning when she goes to work, she cannot keep up. Sleep kills her and when the music turn up over there, the whole of her apartment shake. We have professionals living in the area. People who come home tired. How can the powers that be give people all of these permits to have these kinds of activities right next-door to where people live?” the resident said.

She added: “We have a parking nuisance as well. Would you believe that the security guards allow people going to these events to park in the people’s apartment complex and collect money? At the corner of Haining Road, come 10:00 pm, it’s pure higglers out there, from pan chicken to cane man. When you pass out there early morning, the road is a mess. Sooner or later, our little community is going to become a ghetto. It is a major concern. When you have this kind of thing, what is going to happen to people’s investment? You work hard for your property to work for you in retirement and then you have all these kinds of things [occurring].”