Battling nighttime noise bandits

IN SPITE OF night time raids by a posse of health, and noise inspectors led by Panama Mayor Jose, Isobel  Blandon, Panama’s noise bandits  continue to  disturb  their neighbors, particularly in San Francisco, Bella Vista, and San Felipe

City authorities and the Ministry of Health (MoH) are working to curb excessive noise affecting thousands of residents especially in areas where bars and nightclubs are located.

MoH director of Health Promotion Grimaldo Cordoba, said there is an urgent need to find a solution to the problem

Current rules stipulater that the permitted outdoor  outdoors decibel level is 60 until 10:00 pm are 60 After that time  it should drop to 50decibels until 5:59 am.

In December 2012, the Municipal Council created the Office of Nocurnal Inspector for the “carrot law” which regulates the hours of sale of alcoholic beverages in bars, discos, barbecues, wineries and cellars in the 23 districts in the capital.

Also  among its functions is to monitor  excessive  noise and disturbances  that threaten the peace of the community.

However, the municipal agency fails to meet the expectations of some those affected by the noise, reports La Prensa,  including the inhabitants of Calle Uruguay in Bella Vista, who  had welcomed the initiative.

COMPLAINT LINE

The coordinator of the Mayor’s anti-noise program of Panama, Joaquín Solis says complaints should be made  from 6:00 pm to 3:00 am, Monday through Friday and from 8:00 pm to 4:00 am on weekends by calling   204-1100 He urged those affected to call .

Solis said  that, first, the inspectors take the complaint and then go to the site that generates the problem to verify if their owners have proper documentation and comply with the schedule to operate.

Owners dedicated to the sale of liquor must have special permission to do so after 12:00 pm.

Another way to verify compliance with the law is by carrying out raids

So far, the new Mayor’s administration of the Mayor of Panama has made five.

The last one was in the village of San Felipe, where 15 premises were visited and only three of them had their papers in order. The rest were cited for sanctions.

Solis said that fines for excessive noise go up to $ 3,000. He added that there are additional penalties when the establishment’s papers are not in order or they are improperly operating their service.

City staff has also identified local businesses with a supermarket licence that operate  washing cars and selling beer as their main activity.

From 19 April 2013 to date, the Nocturnal Inspector’s Office of Inspector has imposed 399 fines for noise. An average of between 10 and 15 complaints are received each week.