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Tourism and Entertainment Ministry to Conduct Sound Tests in Downtown Kingston

Release Date: 
Friday, July 3, 2015 - 09:30

Kingston, Jamaica: July 2, 2015: The Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment is ramping up efforts to establish entertainment zones island-wide as it seeks to address the issue of noise disturbances caused by entertainment events held in and around residential areas. This as the Ministry moves to have experts conduct sound level tests in key locations in Downtown Kingston to guide the development of the first in a series of entertainment zones.

State Minister for Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Damion Crawford, emphasized that “this forms part of an overall initiative to tackle the issue of night noises. We are working along with partner Ministries and agencies such as the Ministry of Local Government, the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) and the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) to establish these entertainment zones. This is a pilot project and if it is successful it will be replicated in key locations across the island.”

The tests will be conducted Friday July 3, from 8:00 pm to 12 midnight in six parking lots and open spaces in Downtown Kingston which have been identified as potential entertainment zones. Minister Crawford reiterated that “this is in-keeping with our plan to retrofit the UDC and KSAC owned parking lots in the area to accommodate entertainment events, using temporary fencing.”

Minister Crawford explained that “we will be using six sound systems in the locations which we have identified in order to simulate an actual entertainment zone. We have hired sound experts who will measure the point at which the level of the music is likely to cause a disturbance to residents living in the area.”

The venues where the tests will be conducted include the Pechon Street parking lot; Lot 20 located along the Kingston Waterfront; the bus terminus located on Darling Street; and the Water Lane Transportation Centre. Residents of communities in the area will be given the opportunity to contact Ministry representatives to report noise disturbances caused during the exercise.