CURTIS CAMPBELL, STAR Writer

Veteran selector Ricky Trooper is among a group of music personalities gearing up to have a meeting of sound system operators to address issues with the Noise Abatement Act and the recent announcement by the police that they will be clamping down on street dances

The meeting will be staged at Skateland, Half-Way Tree, St Andrew, on Sunday at 4 p.m.

Trooper said the meeting is being staged in an effort to get a vibrant sound system federation going that will work effectively with the police.

"What we want to do is clean up our own act, so that we will in turn have less pressure from the authorities. We want to have an industry where there aren't sound system operators stealing light or disobeying the police when they are told to lock off their sound system," Trooper said.

mounting complaints

In a recent force order, Police Commissioner Owen Ellington stated that the police would develop tough new measures to deal with the staging of street dances and parties across the island amid mounting complaints about widespread breaches of the Noise Abatement Act.

Among the measures announced by the commissioner is the refusal of permits to venues with a history of violence and to events that feature entertainers with a bad reputation and influence.

As part of the measures, Ellington also instructed his senior officers not to grant permits for events where the music will be a nuisance to one household and where the event is likely to impede the normal use of the road.

The commissioner said these measures came amid reports that street dances were being held without approval from the police, and were going well beyond the midnight and 2 a.m. cut-off times for weekdays and weekends, respectively.

He said this nuisance is no longer confined to weekends or to the Corporate Area as dances are being held every day across the entire island.

Trooper, however, believes that if measures that are too rigid are introduced it will lead to the death of the dancehall culture in Jamaica.

"We are not saying that we shouldn't comply with the police but we think we can work out effective measures such as having some zone areas, some places where dances can go longer as they won't disturb anyone," he said.

In terms of the meeting on Sunday, the selector called for his peers to unite for a good cause.

"With one voice and with the unity of all who will be affected by this serious stance, we can make an impact, so our cry will be heard by all Jamaica. This is a music loving country, save the dancehall movement," Trooper said. "Please make an effort to attend this meeting to discuss the way forward, to protect and preserve our sound system culture. Jamaica has benefited from this. All promoters and the whole entertainment fraternity, you are invited."