Declaring that they are tired, frustrated, and stressed, a group of Rodney Bay residents has expressed concern over noise pollution from restaurants and bars in their community.
In a letter to the authorities, the residents complained that the problem had caused damage to their health and had started to affect them financially.
According to the May 24, 2023 letter, residents cannot rent out their condos and Airbnbs due to noise pollution and suffer sleep loss.
https://sltimesprod.wpenginepowered.com/155029/2023/06/residents-prepared-to-take-legal-action-over-noise-pollution-in-rodney-bay/
“Please note that some residents have lived in the area for 30+, 15+ years and never experienced such nuisance,” the residents wrote.
They explained that noise pollution affects the working efficiency of adults in the area, the concentration of young children in school, and older people complaining of heart palpitations.
According to the letter, residents operating businesses in the area geared towards accommodation for tourists have had to refund money because the guests couldn’t sleep.
The letter observed that the situation attracts bad reviews from guests who advise others to seek lodging elsewhere.
“We urge the authorities to enforce strict noise control laws in Rodney Bay and to have compassion for the residents in the area who are currently suffering. The use of loudspeakers – especially subwoofers, as the bass rumbles throughout the community should be controlled so that we may all co-exist peacefully,” the concerned residents wrote.
But they also highlighted the need for public cooperation, asserting that people must be aware of the threat of noise pollution.
Individual residents have also expressed their feelings in writing to the Rodney Bay businesses concerned regarding noise pollution.
So they forget how loud things were there when the lime and the triangle were having a soundclash every night? Rodney bay is the quietest village in the country. They can sell their multi million dollar condos and go live countryside
What was there first? Everyone knows Rodney Bay is a hot spot for entertainment.
crybaby bay highlights everything wrong with this country. Here we have a bunch of people being extremely inconsiderate of people in their homes and you basically telling them tough luck. How about if somebody comes and places loudspeakers near your house and prevent you from sleeping, your kids from studying and your quality of life? Then again you probably a low life who doesn’t have a job and is not sending your kids to school because you not in their lives. This is a health problem moron and it is affecting people over the damn country. It needs to be regulated and the laws enforced. This needs to stop whether is rodney bay, marchand or wherever. People need to be able to have peace in their homes.
Let’s not be close minded. Just because prior businesses may have had “sound clash” doesn’t mean that it did not negatively affect the residents. I don’t see them asking anyone to stop playing music but to operate with some consideration. Nothing wrong with that.
We need to learn to have compassion and understanding for others rather than making quick judgement and dismissing concerns. Always remember that what may not affect you, may be debilitating to others. At the end of the day we are all one people, so let the residents and business owners come together to find an amicable solution.
All h have to say is choopzzz
St lucia will someday become like South Africa… the local people will one day say “enough is enough”. This is a mixed zone, commercial/ residential and those people are pestering the local businesses that contribute so much to the local economy. Our politicians need to stop those people from harassing people before people take action themselves.
Nonsense. It’s like buying a house next to the airport, and them complaining the planes are too loud, so the airport has to be relocated.
How long will locals tolerate that harassment from those people?
My dear:the countryside is faring no better as the noise is there as well.
The negres won’t ever understand civilisation. You can live in the middle of the streets in some big city and only hear traffic. But in st Lucia loud music damaging endless ears with an epidemic of vertigo and heart issues and no one cares. Every neighbour who has disturbed with loud music should be fined 1000 dollars after second warning. Or jail for a week.. Every club should be sound proof. No one should hear them. If u want to open a disco in London or New York or Paris Berlin ect… Nobody even know the disco is there. It is soundproof. Rodney bay is turning to a ghetto. And if solid rules are not put into place social decay by vieux negre will ghettoruze the place fast.
Sadly, this condition goes beyond Rodney Bay. Non-enforcement of existing laws has brought us to this sorry point. I have seen on two separate occasions, vehicles with speakers mounted on their roofs blaring their music…going past two different police stations. Almost everyone have heard cars driving past with windows open blasting music, way beyond normal listening.
Constant noise pollution can make people physically sick. Studies, both long-term and and short-term have proven it.
The sheer stupidity of some around us cannot be underestimated. When a moronic person chooses to play their music excessively loud, they can negatively impact others. Examples: (a) jar awake a sleeping baby (b) disturb someone who is currently sick (c) cause someone studying to lose concentration (d) disturb an employee who works odd hours and is sleeping (e) maybe a person just want to relax in their personal thoughts.
“De police” must get hold of decibel meters. They are generally inexpensive and reliable. It’s a wonderful way to generate revenue and be useful.
Thank you Chin and Poule Foo. This is a serious health issue. Any establishment wishing to play music should keep said music to their customers within the confines of their business. It should not disturb anyone else. End of story. Not only is the music disturbing, the lyrical content is vulgar, obscene and violent. Is that what we want out people constantly exposed to. Enough is enough already. Enforce the damn laws and start fining the guilty. Put some order in this place.
OMG , have you ever even tried to drive down the road.. it has become an assumed pedestrian area. The garbage left strewn over the tourist area..rats freely feeding in plain site. It’s disgusting. The crowd is rude , unruly & uneducated foolish. Mixed land use does not indicate open air bram on nightly basis. No housing area deserves that.
Everyone needs their beauty sleep and some people ears are more sensitive than others. Why would disturb some people quiet zone just because you want to play loud music or make loud noise. There nothing wrong in playing music but keep the volume level to 20 or 30 there’s no reason for it to be 50+.
@Justsaying I agree with you saint lucia music especially the one’s that are played more often are highly inappropriate even for kids to be listening to. Sexual to murder is all what saint lucia music about which is something that shouldn’t be representing the country these types of music should only be played at clubs or places where children isn’t allowed
@just saying & unknown. Is it any surprise the level of violence we see in the kids? Most of those doing the shooting are less than 25. Look at the young girls. See those behaviours before they turn 15. Didn’t Jamaica’s regulator recently ban all music promoting violence and vulgarity from the airwaves?
This problem or issue is not isolated or a Rodney Bay residence thing. Those guys with speakers outside their vehicles parking in residential areas and blasting them is also RIDICULOUS. Sometimes the Police pass by and nvr say anything. I wonder Y.? Is it because the law is vague on this issue as it is on Almost all issues. Does the law state Decibels and meanwhile Police don’t have instruments to measure decibels. Is that similar to the law about Ounce of marijuana and Police hv no instrument to measure. Is it similar to Speed Limit and Police have no instrument to measure speed? Is it also similar to driving intoxicated and Police have no instrument to measure alcohol levels. Unless Govt does not Go to the House and enact laws and prescribe instruments to enforce laws we will remain complainants and be idiotically attacking the wrong ppl i.e.the Police.
not only in rodney bay but throughout the island loud music should be turn down at a certain time so people can rast peacefully. something need to be done about that. why do people think that music music be extra loud to be enjoyed. it have a negative effect o people’s health
Kudos to this group of residents!
Reports should be made against those persons who set up bars in residential areas and be playing amplified music day and night and even be having breakfast fetes from early o’clock.
That just cannot be right!
So sorry to hear because I fully understand and share your pain. I live in a really nice country setting at Monier and two months ago a family (residents) decided to open a “Rum shop” on my hill. No planning or health department approval, no toilet facility, no parking, vehicular traffic, cars parked in the road and not to mention noise. It has become a hideout for men and their jabals. It is so frustrating because some of the people in authority we would need to go to for assistance are guilty of hanging out there and peeing in the bush. What should we do???
I have heard Rodney Bay residents complain about this for years and it is unhealthy by any standards. Sone of these residents owned their properties before the noise became such a disgusting problem. It is not just the loudness but also the type. Disrespectful of women, sexually venal and of the lowest common denominator.
But there is a bigger problem of ‘ghetto’ behaviour all over St Lucia. I have been in the ghettos in Castries to hear misogynist, vulgar music, so disrespectful of woman, blaring at 6 am with children still sleeping or within earshot. And the smell of weed everywhere.
Same on buses. Have even been in quiet rural communities where one fool has loud disrespectful music, turned up as loud as possible, being heard up to one mile away and preventing people from sleepong or havibg a quiet Sunday off from work.
There has been a general breakdown of civility in St Lucia and an arrogance where everyone feels that rules and decent behaviour do not apply to them. That is why there is so much murder, crime and drug usage.
Worst still is that because of criminality, many are afraid of reporting this to the police.
The loud music in Rodney Bay is just a symptom of vulgar immoral St Lucia.
Wowwwwww…..at some of those hateful comments. Here you have a situation where self-centered and inconsiderate people re violating others’ rights to peace and some here see no problem with that. Where is the love? Where is the love thy neighbour as thyself….how can people grow up to be adults without simple humility and niceness. If I had say a elderly granny in that area being affected…trust me…speakers would “burst” if law enforcement fails..Sadly this is what we have to resort to in a lawless…and loveless state.
Same thing happens to those if us who live near the resource Centre in Entrepot. People have parties there, music until 2 am sometimes 3 am on Saturday and Sunday. Then garbage is left all over the place. No law, no rules! On Sunday mornings we are tired and we never left the house. The loud music is horrible. And to think we’re in Castries East, the biggest ghetto in Saint Lucia. The PM has been representing us forever and the entire place is an eyesore with footpaths and noise! PM, do something about your constituency and whilst you’re at it, please look in the rules as it relates to parties at the Human Resource Centre. I suppose posting this makes no sense as nothing will change!
People blasting music looking for attention and validation. Their parents gave them none as kids and they looking for it as adults. Look at me! I have loud music. Look at me! My speaker atop my car disturbing everyone. Pathetic really.
You can’t go to a bar to SOCIALISE since you can barely have a conversation with the person sitting right next to you. You go to NYC a city with millions of people and you don’t hear music blasting throughout the streets. You walk next to a club, you don’t even know it is there unless you see a line of patrons trying to get in. Same in all major cities I’ve been to ALL OVER THE WORLD, eastern and western hemisphere. But in this shit hole called St. Lucia it is do as you please, society be damned. If decent citizens keep turning to the authorities for solutions and they get none. They will start to solve the problems themselves. The chickens will come home to roost authorities. Everything has its limits.
In civilized countries, only 80 decibels of noise is allowed in private or public places before corrective action is taken. In the work place ear protection is enforced when noise is beyond 80 decibels. Any noise above 80 decibels can permanently damage the ear in the long term, among other things already mentioned. Keep in mind that most loud music are well over 80 decibels. These small countries have no control over anything, yet they advocate for free movement of people amongst them. Get a grip of your own first please .
For those of you who don’t know, all of this noise was under control for about 12 years before Verve and Ultra Lounge opened up. There is also this little opened space near Pizzia Pizzia which plays ridiculously loud music. Why do some entertainment spots comply and others don’t. Why must music at opened bars be as loud as that in opened fields all the time? Ridiculous!
Can’t believe some of you fools actually believe most of Rodney Bay residents are foreigners? Most of Ridney Bay residents are Saint Lucians, some of which married foreigners. Most of the property in Rodney Bay except very few condos and some hotels are owned by foreigners. Don’t be fooled by the name, Rodney Bay is mostly Lucian.
For progress there must be compromise. Proper amplified Sound can be enjoyed within the car without disturbing others.
Clubs and bars can be given decibel levels which entertain their guests without being a social nuisance.
The policy makers just need to get on with the job of development and actually put the necessary laws in place to foster such.
If not …the whole island will be like Pigeon Point on a Sunday afternoon
With all the social ills it brings
So many comments with facts against those individuals who has collectively tried to hurt those businesses in Rodney bay this isn’t being uploaded to the page… not nice
Imagine going to leave in Vieux Fort next to the airport… and when u get there you start complaining about the noise from the planes…. then writing a ridiculous article to relocate the airport because the noise is a problem.
When will the local people say enough is enough and get those people straight once and for all?
Those places provide and avenue to socialize in a safe, positive environment. Those spoiled individuals only think about themselves. Those places employ people and provide a great tourist product. Take this avenue away and I’m sure we’ll get back to the high crime rates which can be proven by a thought back to “lock down” covid era.
Go to Barbados next door at St Lawrence gap… hotels on the other side of the road from the night life which goes up to 4am. In Martinique, it even goes on till 9am.
Before booking an area, people know what the area is like… so don’t say people leave because of this. They know it’s the only remaining nightlife area.
And stop lying to create empathy to your article. It’s just a group of sorry spoiled individuals trying to hurt businesses in Rodney Bay.
Noise pollution is definitely a serious social problem in Saint Lucia –affecting physical and psychological health, among other things. Sadly, the elected officials will not touch thii with a long stick because it will cost them at the polls. So, once again, Lucians are on their own in the bid to find an amicable solution to this awful social ill. May God help us.
I agree that the noise level is absurdly unbearable and needs regulation.
One group of individuals in Rodney Bay who does not speak in the interest of the average St lucian…
We, the average St lucians suggest you return to your forefathers country. You may have been born here but you never experienced life as a true St Lucian. You guys have the luxury of throwing lavish parties and entertain with the finest accommodations. Let us St Lucian, use those businesses to express our frustration though non violent means. No one comes to JE Berg”ASS” and tells you, you should stop selling ink for printers because it’s linked to cancer.
Hiding behind those anonymous names will not help the situation especially when the sh!t hits the fan someday and people get frustrated with you guys.
South Africa revolt happened through frustration and someday St Lucians might also say “enough is enough”.
Those STIFF UPPER LIPPERS care about the noise in Rodney Bay but not all the Drug Kingpin and Gang leaders that live up there . Oh please ! If you know how the streets are running (I do) you would know who lives in the heights and Bonntaire and the Estate oh yeah some of St Lucia’s “so called UPPER CLAS”. Dudus never lived in Tivoli Gardens but he ran it , his main residence was not in Tivoli but instead was nestled amongst the well to do and his kids went to the finest schools. These people get by daily easily because they are “well polished” to the untrained eye, “upstanding businesses people”. Then you have those who live up there who just got here from their slums in their old countries and pool their monies together open a store and overnight consider themselves better than us, a local can’t even vend in front their store they want to spit on them and have all the audacity to write letters of complaint, the crap happened on Sandy Beach they had to turn down the music after 8 o’clock all activities must end by 10:30 and these people that were complaining were non St Lucians business owners yes foreigners and the cops would cater to their needs IMMEDIATELY over the locals and I will bet my last dollar this will be the same scenario in Rodney Bay, a bunch of foreigners controlling the narrative and they will get what they want you will see the absolute shame of it. @ Concerned Local you hit the nail on the head.
@Concerned Local, you can’t be serious! Lowering down music in open bar spaces will not affect business. In fact it will attract a much better crowd of spenders.
Aunt purchased property a stones throw from the former MJI hotel. Biggest regret ever. During party season, she is unable to sit out on her balcony to enjoy the evening views, have a conversation or even sleep because the noise from that place would sometimes vibrate the entire house.
Concerned local must be one of those bar owners to who terrorise people with loud music. Out of 31 comments, only 3 are in support of the loud music near people’s homes. I believe this is a representative sample if that were to be expanding. AUTHORITIES TAKE ACTION.
The same loud music and entertainment is the reason yall property values and rent rates are so high. Sell your properties and move if its so unbearable. Save yall rich (and white) crocodile tears for your therapists
This was bound to happen. The amount of land in st.Lucia is fixed, but the number of hotels, tourist and foreigners seem to always go up. At some point one would have to encroach on the other. This current situation is not sustainable, no one wants loud music blasting non stop next door. However the entire Rodney Bay Area cannot become a gated community. This type of situations will only increase going forward. I don’t know what the solution is but if anyone has to leave or make space it will not be the people who’s family have been in St. lucia since the days of slavery and colonisation.
J is for jack@$$. It is happening all over the damn country. Why y’all simpletons have such disregard for law and order. When y’all go overseas y’all respecting all rules. But in good ole Ste. Lucie it is anything goes. It is about time the start treating music like cigarettes. Second hand smoke kills. Second hand music kills. Restrict it to the users only. Problem solved.
I know so many people with vertigo in St Lucia and part of the problem has to do with the culture of loud music that damages ears and nerves. The music does not have to be from bars. Bad neighbours are not only a menace to society, they also threaten public health. All the dropping dead from sudden heart attacks when cholesterol levels may not be that high, suggest that something in the environment is affecting many in St lucia. Recall when you went to the dance hall and feel the thump in your heart. You thinks that’s normal? This messes with cardiac rhythms. And when it is interrupted no one one really knows the true cost and whether it increases susceptibility to heart issues. Covid interrupts the heart rhythm and we know it increases stroke and heart failure. Noise pollution must be considered a public health threat in St Lucia and the rest of the Caribbean.
Thank Poule Foo, the lawlessness in this country is frightening. I honestly believe we are sitting on a time bomb waiting for it to explode.
Currently anything goes, vehicles with loud music blaring drive past the so-called Police Headquarters on Bridge Street on a daily basis after 2.00 am.
It is now okay to park your vehicle on Bridge Street, alongside the Blue Coral building.
Parking issues at the Castries Market since everybody is now a vendor.
There is a vendor on Wm Peter Boulevard next to Raj blasting music with inappropriate lyrics and the list goes on and on.
I take it the Police on patrol are blind as well as deaf.
@Geez. You are wasting your time trying to reason with some of those characters. A few are still trapped in the oral stage of development. On what planet are they living on, to think it’s okay to constantly bombard residents with loud music into the early morning. Worse yet, it’s a zonal mixed use area. Their reasoning skills are at a 2-year old level.
This situation really needs to be addressed in all communities.
As a local resident in Rodney Bay the levels of noise over the last 5 years has become un bearable
It is the bars and restaurants. One hotel near the marina whose live singer can be heard across the Rodney bay area at nights and the loud music of the swimming centre. The buses and drivers with speakers in their vehicles and the motorbikes that come to race on the quiet roads late at night. The police need to get the necessary equipment and police these infractions. This is done in all civilized societies.
Rodney Bay should be zoned commercial end of story, the problem is that we failed years ago to properly zone our country, live entertainment is part of tourism