Consultations Ongoing on Noise Abatement Act

National Security Minister, Hon. Robert Montague, says consultations are ongoing regarding amendments to the Noise Abatement Act.

The law is being amended to grant extensions to entertainment events beyond       2 a.m. with conditions.

“You cannot have extensions in certain sections of a community, you can’t be in the middle of the town where the hospital is or where the old people’s home is and want  to have a dance…making noise until 5 o’clock in the morning; it is not going to work,” he pointed out.

He noted also that children will be barred from attending adult events.

Minister Montague, who was addressing the National Security Conference on Citizen Security at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on Thursday (July 21), noted that the changes are part of the multifaceted approach to crime-fighting.

He added that strict penalties will be put in place for breaches.

“There will be a graduated table of punishment for the promoters. They are going to be required to have closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) installed at these events and metal detectors. Yes, there will be extensions but that will come with conditions and everybody will have to play a role, because everybody will have to take some responsibility for dealing with this monster of crime,” he explained.

The National Security Minister said the amendments will be undertaken with support from the island’s local authorities, which have been asked to establish entertainment zones.

The Noise Abatement Act was last amended in 1997.