Law to clamp down on public nuisance

By Marlon Madden

Individuals could soon be fined as much as $5,000 or thrown in prison for a yet-to-be disclosed term for leaving a noisy kite flying overnight.

This announcement came from Attorney General Dale Marshall during a press conference at Ilaro Court on Friday, and months after numerous complaints from residents across the island especially on radio call-in programmes about noisy kites being flown at night.

Marshall told journalists that amendments have been made to the Minor Offences Act to accommodate the penalties related to the popular Barbadian pastime.

The legislation is expected to be laid in Parliament next Tuesday.

“We have made some amendments to the Minor Offences Act, and we are therefore going to be laying in Parliament on Tuesday, a piece of legislation, which for the first time, will attempt to bring some abatement to that dreadful nuisance that affects so many Barbadians,” Marshall announced.

“We all know that is what keeps the noise and that is what causes the nuisance.

“The essence of this is that at 7 o’clock in the night that kite has to come down and it cannot be flown again until 6 the next morning. So that between 7 o’clock at night and 6 o’clock in the morning any person who flies a kite with a bull or any other kind of noise-making apparatus will find themself afoul of the law. They will be subject on summary conviction to a fine of $5,000 or possibly to imprisonment.

“While this may seem small in the scheme of things, I have received numerous letters from Barbadians who complain about the noise and the kites seem to sit directly above their house and is up all night and they simply cannot sleep,” said Marshall, who said this could have serious effects on one’s health.