Dear Editor,
I was very disappointed and angry to see a video on social media where the DJ at Abracadabra was basically inciting the party goers, to what could have been a riot, because music had to be shut down at 1am. He was cursing the National Parks Authority. It was a similar incitement that got Trump impeached for the Jan 6th insurrection.
But of course our Police did not arrest him. The video is still out there and he should be charged.
The Noise Abatement Act 1997 is a law that was passed in Parliament and covers the whole of Antigua and Barbuda. National Parks or indeed no entity except the Police can enforce this law. In fact it was Assistant Police Commissioner Wade, in a public consultation, who recommended that the Noise Abatement Law be implemented since hotels and residents were being affected by the loud noise, late into foreday morning.
I now understand that the Prime Minister has given instructions that the Police and National Parks should back off and not enforce the Law of the Land. How is this possible?
PM Browne’s social media response to complaints made by DJ
Is the Cabinet more powerful than the Laws of the Land? Can the Cabinet decide what laws are to be implemented? What kind of lawless country have we become?
Laws are laws.
Denzil
Charge the DJ for what? There was no where in the said video that any type of violence was incited. He stated the law and gave his opinion on what he though of the situation, which as far i understand according to our law, people are entitled to have opinions. The PM also, on record as screen capped here said “find a happy medium here for everyone.” but you have taken it upon yourself to write hear say that no one has any proof of, to incite further unease amongst your community. Without overlooking the point that you are making about the noise pollution and the law, which is actually a valid one, you could have effectively done so without a false narrative.
How about you hush, charge for what exactly?! thats how he makes his money…… it’s nonsense, over there has FOREVER been a night life zone and now they want to talk about law now!! Chupz…. do yall ask for the brothels to be closed at 1am most of them have a bar infront,makes the same noise to. All our tourist’s complain about is this country not having a night life or enough of it. Chupz!!
Tourism is what drives Antigua remember that.
This is so nonsensical it’s hard to believe we can be so backward thinking in this day and age. The parties at Abras are seasonal and are apart of the make up of the reason millions visit or tiny twin island state. When the fire happened a few years ago the number of boats and tourists that left here and decided St. Maarten was where they would go instead, many still go to St. Maarten cuz let’s face it we cannot compare our night life to theirs. This thing is bigger than noise it is a release for our tourists and the only place for them to party while here during the yachting’s season. And to have someone sit there and write this bs just shows how little this individual knows about our tourism product.
I thought Tourism was everybody’s business
That’s definitely incitement and that jackass DJ should have been arrested. I hate nonsense
So PM goin and change the legislation to accomodate noise. Talk to me
Simple as that: noise is noise, law is law. End of discussion
The Noise Abatement Act is legislation passed by Parliament. No DJ, no promoter, no politician has the right to override it.
National Parks cannot be blamed for doing their job. They are trying to maintain order and protect residents, visitors, and businesses.