Senator Calls for Amendment to the Noise Abatement Act

Government Senator, Sophia Frazer-Binns, is urging the Administration to amend the Noise Abatement Act, making it more realistic and in touch with today’s reality.

She noted that the Act places a limit on the duration of night-time entertainment events.

Currently, Section 5 of the legislation provides that all forms of entertainment events should end by 2:00 a.m.

“The enforcement has caused many persons within the industry to question its application, especially on weekends or in areas which are not within close proximity to residential accommodations,” Senator Frazer-Binns said.

Opening the 2014/15 State of the Nation Debate in the Senate, today (November 21), Senator Frazer-Binns pointed out that the entertainment industry impacts all. “Even those of us with the most puritanical lifestyles benefit when our entertainers do well on the global scene,” she added.

“The fact is, entertainers and the economy thrive in an environment that is enabled by a nocturnal economy. This need not be treated as some mysterious underworld of activity,” the Senator said.

Mrs. Frazer-Binns argued that it is time to speedily amend the Noise Abatement Act, thereby allowing persons to be fully productive.

“We could go a far way into unlocking the potential of so many Jamaicans to make money, while preserving the rights of so many others to have a good night’s rest. The time has come for us to ensure our jurisprudence reflects the seriousness with which we are treating the entertainment industry,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Government Senator also welcomed the proposal for the establishment of entertainment zones. The move to establish entertainment zones is to allow for the staging of events under limited restrictions in terms of lock-off times, and to prevent breaches of the Night Noise Act.

Similarly, she said there is a need for more enclosed venues for entertainment events.

“The availability of enclosed venues fitted for noise control and prevention would complement the proposed zoning plan and allow for a better working of the Noise Act, as events held at these venues would not be a disturbance,” Senator Frazer-Binns said.

She further noted that the amendment to the Act, the implementation of zoning and the building of enclosed entertainment centres would benefit the industry and economy, through longer events, which influence bar time and sales, and impact on business profits, employment opportunities, and earnings.

“Increased employment reduces the reliance on the State for welfare programmes, which allows the Government to have more to spend on macroeconomic development, and stabilisation of interest and foreign exchange rates, leading to an improved economy,” Senator Frazer-Binns said.