There is an awful lot of broadcasting going on in Nevis and St.Kitts these days. Some of it is being done by a few legitimate radio stations. Most of it however, is being done by the hordes of boom-boxes cruising up and down the place in fancy cars, or by deejays at various bars, shops, and other venues.
I used to have a lot of respect for everyone involved in the broadcasting business, but that is changing fast. Now-a-days I can only respect a select few. I respect mainly those who allow me to control what I hear, when I hear it, and the volume at which I hear it. I respect those who offer a range of choices as to what to listen to, and most importantly, whether to switch on or switch off.
The radio and television broadcasters offer the range of control that I desire and am most comfortable with. Not that I like everything that I hear on the radio or see on the television, but at least in my own home I am free to turn off what I don’t like. It’s as simple as pushing a button.
With the other types of broadcasters I don’t have that kind of control, in fact I have no degree of control over them at all. They broadcast whatsoever they choose, whenever they choose, and at ear-splitting volumes if they like. If I happen to be in their line of fire, (then tough) that is of no concern at all to them.
If their loud music and noise invades the sanctity of my home and peace and quiet, that is none of their business – they couldn’t care less. If I beg them to please stop the racket because it is really making me sick, they might tell me triumphantly that they have a permit, and might even turn up the volume a notch or two, just to prove what kind of control and power they have!
I’ve been on an anti-noise campaign since November, voicing my complaints through various radio and newspaper outlets and quite often, directly to the police as well. Some people have asked me why I only write about this one subject, week after week; why don’t I let up and write about something else. But those who are producing loud noises which I can’t control aren’t letting up, and in fact the situation seems to be getting worse by the day!
Last Saturday evening as I drove up to my rented quarters in Bath Village, I became aware of the sound of boom-box music playing somewhere in the distance. It didn’t seem terribly loud at all at first, but when I went inside the house, the sound seemed to become amplified and irritating, especially the deep bass tones. I had no idea where the sound was coming from as it was not nearby in the neighbourhood, which is almost always very quiet.
I knew I wouldn’t be able to rest or concentrate on a book I’m working on, or enjoy my own music with that intrusive sound assaulting my senses. So I went to my sister’s property on Craddock Road where I used to live, but which is now mainly used by visiting family and friends.
It was like going from the frying pan into the fire, as the loud music that was playing in this neighbourhood was much closer than in Bath and I had to go to the police to seek relief. The next day I learned that the disturbing sounds I’d heard in Bath Village had come from a function up in Brown Hill.
I can just imagine the range of coverage that must be achieved from that location, and wonder how many other annoyed residents have been affected. People who are being negatively affected by loud music are invited to join an anti-noise campaign. Call Amba Trott at 469-1424, or 765-3559.
Unrestricted loud music is not a benefit, but in fact is detrimental to the welfare of many persons in the community. No one should have to beg a neighbour to turn off the unwanted sound that is invading the privacy of their home, or go to the police to resolve the matter. Loud music that intrudes on anyone’s need for peace and quiet is without a shadow of a doubt, broadcasting at its worst. Wherever it is coming from, it needs to be switched off!
