BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – OWNERS of businesses on the Frigate Bay Strip were informed that although the cutoff point for live bands is 12 midnight and loud music should be turned down at 2:00 a.m., bars could remain open and closed at the discretion of the owners.
This decision was made yesterday (Jul. 25) during a meeting between the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force and owners of businesses on the Frigate Bay Strip at the Frigate Bay Police Outpost.
It was highlighted that whenever business owners were issued permits to operate on the Strip, the permit would include the time in which the volume of the music should be turned down.
Some business owners however revealed that police officers do not instruct that the music be turned down but, instead, turned off.
However, in rectifying this anomaly, the business operators were assured that such would no longer be the case.
Deputy Police Commissioner (ACP) Merlese Dolphin, who headed the police contingent, talked about allowing in-house entertainment after loud music is turned down.
“We are not telling you to close your bars. We are not telling you to do that. But, at the same time, you have to control the loud music because people reside in the area and people must have time to get their rest. We are trying to balance the music with people who are living in the area and we are saying at 2 O’clock the loud music you can cut it down and continue with your in-house music providing entertainment for your patrons.”
Dolphin revealed that the police have statistics to prove that serious offences on the Frigate Bay Strip occur after midnight.
“Mostly all of the offenses...serious offences, committed on the Strip are committed after midnight between these young people within that certain age range. And we know what the age range is that we have a problem with, and it more will happen when it has a live band,” the ACP.
The age range, he said, is from 17/18 to 35 years old.
He informed about “a report of a serious wounding” that happened on Saturday morning (July 20) at about 1:20 a.m. involving “young people again”.
“The High Command made a decision looking at the statistics and decided…‘Look, let us cut the live band at midnight…young people of that age range mostly follow the live music bands.’ We said let us cut it to midnight. The Hi Fi which is not so much attractive to them will continue until around 2: 00 a.m.,” he added.
Managing Director of the Frigate Bay Development Corporation, Rudolph Morton told the business operators that they could open “for as long as you want”, as long as the loud music is “turned down” not “off.”
“Live bands must stop at 12:00 O’ clock. Loud music must be turned down from 2:00 a.m. and you can go until 10 O’clock in the morning if you want to, but the music must be at an acceptable level.”
Morton opined that the police have made a fair decision and he encouraged business owners to adhere to the rules.
“I think that’s a fair and good situation. If your patrons want to stay there and patronise your establishment ’til 10 in the morning and you are not disturbing the rest of the community, that’s good business for you. And I think that’s a fair decision that was laid out by the police not to say stop the bands…not to say close down. In fairness of the law, based on the law, the police cannot tell you to close your establishment unless something happens; some criminal activity has taken place or some fight or something happen in your establishment; but because of what happened in the past and because of the complaints. And I’ve had situations where I’ve said to persons you’re playing too loud, and no sooner than I leave the place that I get a call because the music gone back up.
“You can’t’ do that! It’s not fair and it’s not helping your business, because the people who come to spend money at your establishments, they want to be able to chit chat and understand each other. They don’t want to be talking here and you hear everything that they are saying. And if you have loud music, it will happen that way.”
Morton outlined that with loud music blasting and people trying to converse at the same time creates “added noise”.
Business owners in attendance were Oalmio Martin from Oalimo Bar, Aysha Hodge and Jamal Mc Sheene from Breeze Bar, Richard Boon from The Dock, Michael Martin and Chad Powell from Vibes Beach Bar, Abistok Narani From Chincillas, Vernon ‘Ras Garbon’ Shoy from Family and Friends, Inon from Inon Bar and the owner of Lava Ground Bar.
Inspector Trevor Mills of the Frigate Bay Police Outpost, who had accompanied Dolphin, has the responsibility of ensuring business owners adhere to the rules.
Many of the business operators did not welcome the regulation regarding the turning down of loud music after 2:00 a.m., although it was evident that some of them were unaware that they could remain open until they decide to close.
