What’s Trending: City Fete Fright

Fri, May 25, 2012 - 10:19 AM

The Nation’s Associate Editor, Sherie Holder-Olutayo takes a look at what’s trending today in Barbados.

Today’s Weekend Nation story where residents of Lakes Folly, The City are under siege from people holding illegal dub fetes in an area known as “Gaza” on Friday and Saturday nights has readers talking. Many residents are concerned about the noise and the violence that follows these fetes. Several readers chimed in on this issue and here are their comments.

Sylent River: How are dub fetes illegal? The main issue is the noise. It's just nuff people with a speaker or two. I guess if you live in the area it'd be an issue but I'd rather young men out enjoying themselves than out on the streets causing havoc. I don't see the big issue. Has crime gone up in those areas significantly? I've been to Gaza a good few times and other dubs as well - have yet to see a fight or shooting - knock wood. You just don't like to see people partying period. They even shut down the gap's business. Barbados is a very small island with very little to do and to have the opportunity to go somewhere and just chill with no problems is a good thing.

Tennyson Joseph: When will we learn to respect the law… illegal means just that!

Ashantia Howard: Licenses were always needed so let’s not pretend that suddenly Barbados now get laws. Wunnuh feel wunnuh could blast music in people’s ears all night and day.

J.C.P: Licenses were always needed to keep a fete as it was said earlier. Just never enforced. People in Sergeant's Village are well aware of that person who always have music blasting all through the night all until 4 in the morning. You think you could blast music like that in America? You get one or two warnings. Third time the police have to show up at your place (in America) they are free to confiscate the sound equipment, auction it off and tell everybody to go home or get arrest for disturbing the peace.

Wayne P.Hoyte: Yes any event of such nature require the permission and licenses from the relevant authorities. People just play dumb and always ready to say that nobody want a man to make a dollar. However the headline reads that the residents are fed up so their concerns are as important too.