Headlines:
| Noise Abatement Act relaxed for Reggae Sumfest |
|
|
| Friday, 04 July 2008 | |
 The promoters of the annual Reggae Sumfest stage show in Montego Bay are beaming with joy on Friday afternoon
after the authorities agreed to relax the tough stance taken against events
which breach the Noise Abatement Act.The government has taken a zero tolerance stance to events being held past two am. But the National Security Minister through the Commissioner of Police has reportedly given instructions for the Sumfest event to be held beyond the stipulated shut-off time. The instructions were given Friday, two days after the event promoters announced that the International show would have to be cancelled if it was forced to close-off at midnight on Thursday and 2:00 a.m. on the weekend. The decision has not gone down well with many of the promoters out West who believe that they have been short-changed, while preferential treatment is being shown to others. However, one promoter sees the extension given to the Sumfest promoters as a plus for those other events. The promoters list the annual Dancehall Queen competition, which attracts participants and patrons from across the globe and Starjam, as being among those that are denied time extensions. The promoters note that they will be lobbying the government to change its stance in dealing with major events especially those which do not affect residential communities in any way. Since April this year many entertainment events across the western end of the island, have been forced to end at midnight on Thursdays and by 2:00 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays as the police strictly enforce the Noise Abatement Act. The move initially sparked a protest, however, promoters began complying with the rules. |