I recently returned from a visit to my native Dominica, and I had a pretty good time. However, one issue was brought to my attention during my trip, and I wish to raise it through this medium.
I am concerned about the wanton negligence and disregard for public peace being perpetrated by motorcyclists in Dominica. I am particularly appalled that the police seem to be doing very little to moderate and monitor this activity, even when it’s taking place right in their backyards.
I stayed in Portsmouth with my elderly aunt in an area which can be considered both commercial and residential. In this area a certain group of young men would ride these bikes up and down the stretch of road, performing all kinds of antics and producing a horrific level of noise at all hours of the night and day on a regular basis. There is an intersection nearby, and a constant stream of traffic, but who cares? They carry on this activity, sometimes right in the vicinity of a gas station and the Portsmouth Police Station.
I feel sorry for my aunt. She can’t sleep or do anything much when these activities are taking place. She is often awakened at 3:00 in the morning. She simply sits and stares while the noise drowns out everything.
However, my aunt’s peace of mind is not my only concern. What about safety? Are the police waiting until someone is injured in these activities before issuing a warning? I hope that it is not an innocent pedestrian or motorist who will suffer the consequences of this gross negligence.
Of course the people who take part in these activities are the ones most at risk. They don’t wear helmets, and many are juveniles who have no insurance. They are simply mindless idiots in need of adult guidance.
I am all for persons pursuing hobbies and interests. However, they must do so with due regard for the safety and peace of mind of their fellow citizens. If they must race their motorcycles and crank up their motors to produce this dreaded noise, then establish a place in the community where this can be done without infringing on the rights of others. Don’t ride up and down in one area for hours on end, creating havoc for residents and unsuspecting motorists.
I urge the Portsmouth police and Dominican police by extension, to get out from behind the desk, the rum shop, or wherever it is they like to stay. It’s not only when there is a drug bust that they should be spurred to action. These individuals are clearly in violation of the noise abatement act; they are not using the road for its intended purpose; and they are causing significant discomfort to many residents. Do something about it before it is too late.
M.D
There is no way of satisfying you grown (old) people is there? young people do drugs, its a problem, they steal, its a problem, you OLD people ask where is the future in the youth huh. instead we don’t do drugs, we do wheels and engines, its still a problem. i guess you would prefer we come visit your aunt and sing avai maria with her. you OLD ppl are sickening. and do your dam research, who the hell you calling juvenile. so stupid and small minded. small minded enough to talk about police and rum shops. im sure ur aunt is a nice lady but don’t blame the bikes for ur aunt not having any sleep. when ppl get old they can’t have much hrs of sleep at a time anyways, 3am? flat out lie!!!! you must be living in montseratt cause any commercial/residential area is gonna have noise and i would say portsmouth is pretty much on the quiet side. stop bla bla-ing. find something worth speaking about plz
Why call the people “OLD”? Have some respect for the older ones. Doh worry……you’ll get “OLD” one day. shame on you……sickhead !!!!!!!!
First of all M.D I do not have much to say. You claim you come on vacation.It looks like you leave in a basement and never come out. America that is America have harley davidson that making so much more noise than the bikes we have in D/ca.WHAT IS YOUR POINT. SXM and GWADA same difference. D/ca is the only place allu can open allu SSA (TURN IT AROUND) and talk shit that doesn’t contribute to our standards of living. When we keep bike show or car show allu first to go and see what’s popping. Yes I agree we need to enforce our laws on helmets and body guards and urge some bikers to insure their bikes. I’m straight like an arrow. Possie do not have much bikes and those you see they are straight so get your facts straight before you open you SSA (turn it around) and say they are not insured. Why didn’t you stop them and ask them if they are insured and L before you start to talk shit on them people news page.If I miss out anything let me know I’ll repost.
This is true. What is in the article. Young people who ride the bikes should remember That they are not the only one on the island. Be considerate and remember that the loud noise cannot be handled by everyone like themselves. this is also true of the other vehicle owners who play music so loud that your house vibrates in the process. You are the only one who wants to listen to your type of music. What about the other persons who wants to listen to their prefererence in peace and also at a low level to their enjoyment. not to infringe on the other persons rights
them officers worry aBOUT WHO GET KILLED AND WHO UNSAFE NAH ALL DEM MAN WANT TO HEAR IS “some fellas river street , washington , or cork street or virgin lane het couple keys … your teacher never tell u when u writing down talkers name in the class write ur name first uh . well just think of it.
Well said. You should hear them in Roseau at all hours. Why don’t we have and enforce noise ordinances? You hear what the so-called young man from dominica said. “who vex lost?” That is the type of backwards poeple that live in Dominica and care about nothing or no one, not even themselves. It’s time for the police to step up and shove some manners down their throats. Give their behinds some hefty fines and a few days in jail let me hear if they will continue the sentiment “who vex lost” after they have to find a few hundred dollars to pay a fine or have a police record.
MD i do not see any weight or legitimacy in your point. What exactly are you implying sir: Are you suggesting that Dominican young men should not be allowed to ride their motor cycles where-ever, or when-ever they wish? You seemed to have been visiting Dominica at the time, is there a limit you are aware of on men on motor cycles where you reside? When i started reading your statement i thought you were emphasizing on the safety aspect of motor cyclists in Dominica (which is a growing concern) there are lots of motor cyclists on the island who ride bikes in dilapidated condition recklessly and without helmets. It sounds as though your elderly aunt live in the ghetto or in a motor cyclist’s hub. Help her move from urban to rural.
It baffles me the level of arguments we get from people who leave Dominica, whom are supposed to be smarter and contribute more knowledge to its community. Do you realize that Dominica: Do you realize the prior to the earthquake in Haiti, that Haiti had a better airport than Dominica does? How was your landing at Melville Hall upon your arrival, don’t you think that deserves a bit more attention then men on motorcycles.
Funny: it was a dentist from Portsmouth returning to Dominica after 29 years, found himself on Kairi FM, and one of his arguments was “you do not need to go to college to be educated”.
If its a residential area, there should be a cut off time for all the noise,
These are the young men that may soon either end up dead or missing limbs and then be out on the streets begging. Unfortunately, they like to live dangerously , however, they have no right to disrupt other peoples lives and put them in danger. A crack down by the police and fines may be in order.
I think that Mr. Weekes needs to speak to this.
You people sound like a set of grumpy old people stupes all i see thats needs to be done in terms of bikers in da is they need to enforce the safty laws have them wear helmets and the gears to protect themselves, as for what bike and what noise they make not all bisness. I my self does ride and when i pass on my iron who vex lost
they drive pick up trucks and not motor bikes………hahha.
I must say i am very happy that someone now, took the initiative to speak about this matter. it is a very wide concern and i will say not only in portsmouth but around the whole island. In every community these activities are taking place and there are police officers who see it that if they are not dressed in uniform that they cannot enforce the law, WHEN THEY CAN! the noise matter is like an epidemic across the island. not only motorist but loud music, or screaming from teenagers who are just looking for attention and laugh about the matter afterward. these are very concerning topics and issues that must be dealt with as soon as possible.
I will say that even I as a student when i lived in dominica before moving, I had a Government employee as my neighbour who would on occasions have parties that goes till 4am with music and the noise and we would not even be informed about the party before it took place in a matter of being prepared and knowing what to expect. i could not study, i could not focus and even likely, my own parents could not obtain a proper nights rest in order to prepare for the next work day. and this was very stupid on my neighbors part. not only my neighbor but there were others in and around the area who would be playing music from 6am to 2am the next morning, which sounds bogus but it is a fact and it is happening. you can actually stay many blocks away and hear echoes of the songs being played like it is playing in your own living room. Now, whether you called the police department, nothing would be done to uphold the law. however, it is very interesting that once you call about a drug bust which is real, they arrive here earlier than when you call the ambulance about a sick person. VERY TRUE and I back up your statement on that.
In addition to this, it is very disturbing knowing that a police officer would sit behind a rum shop and drink and still be a police officer even if he or she is not attired in their officer’s uniform in order to act under the color of law. To me, a police officer should be portraying themselves to society the same way they would portray themselves if they were properly attired in uniform. it is important to be a role model and yet still have fun on the side, however, one should know their limits. an officer should be an officer at all times and this should be enforced upon all officers. clearly the dominica police force may not be doing the best at upholding the law, and there are officers who would see things and not enforce it and let it pass like it was just a petty misdemeanor. when it comes to law there should be NO FRIENDS when clearly INTEGRITY AND ETHICS should come into play. some officers do need to look up the word INTEGRITY and understand how far it goes.
But in accordance to this letter to the editor, I am for all the things this person has discussed because i have experienced this and more. there are young persons riding motor cycles up and down the streets even during the day when parents have young kids coming from school and they dont slow down. and this one guy actually was going up and down the village street several times within a half hour irregardless of who’s walking on the streets when there are clearly no sidewalks in such villages. I wont mention the village but its in the southern area.
So it is high time that law is enforced where it needs to be enforced. Remember, without law a society is a wreck, without law a society is a disgrace, and without law a society is not a society!
M.D. those are my sentiments exactly. You’ve only said much better than I would. Hopefully something WILL be done about it.
The only problem am having is to extend the blame further than just the average police officers in D/A, because they too, obviously needs guidance in how to help make our country as safe as is possible for its citizens. I beg you to call on the higher authorities to make this a priority, or we just have to get prepared to go home and bury our love ones because of this gross negligence BY THE Authorities.
I too, is in perfect agreement with different types of entertainment, but it can’t be at the detrimental expense of other citizens.
Well said.
Wey papa, in possie dat happening, how many bikes like dat nuh possie have running in that time of morning, padna do your homework again, you sure those bikes dere you talking about is possie people, or people from outside that coming possie in night to do their activities? call those pow pow, tell dem to get up from the bench outside the police station … and hold those drug dealers, tell them patrol purple turtle in the night, tell dem look out for those so-called “swimmers” that swimming from those yachts in the morning, thts where their catch suppose to be…………..
I like the part about police only come out in force for a drug bust otherwise they spend all their time in rum shops around dominica.So sad of our police force.