Noise pollution affects productivity

The Editor: Everyone today is complaining about the declining standards and ethics of Trinidad and Tobago’s society and specifically about the declining illiteracy among our youths. Further, teachers are repeatedly labelled as delinquent when they attempt to take a day off for “rest and reflection.” Teachers are described as being uncaring, insensitive and selfish about seeking better salaries and working conditions.

However, society has never stopped to think about the more chronic and destabilising problems such as noise pollution and disturbances by the religious groups, who preach from early in the evening into the late hours at nights, making a lot of noise, shouting passionately, and affecting students as well as teachers. Students are affected from studying and doing homework at crucial times, when they have to write examinations; times, which can either, determine a successful existence or a life of crime. In addition, some teachers are affected while they plan, prepare or correct schoolwork.

During public holidays, like Carnival, some groups are allowed to occupy Government school premises, remaining there late at nights and until the wee hours of the morning. Because of the noise they create, they disturb the residents in the neighbourhood. I wonder whether the persons who grant permission for the occupation of these premises are ever concerned about the welfare of residents. Both the distractions and the loud and ludicrous music that is played (particularly in the city of Port of Spain as commuters pass by) affect productivity in the educational sphere.

Again I wonder: Is there still a law prohibiting loud music in this country?  Are we really heading towards a lawless society where every one does what he or she pleases? Yet in spite all these ills, students and teachers get a bashing for poor performance. It is time for the people in the society to wake up to the reality that such activities tend to affect productivity and consequently have a negative effect on the performance of individuals.

Theresa S Wickham
Port-of-Spain