In my neighborhood the homes are close together. When a neighbor makes a lot of noise, a dog barks, or a rooster crows, everybody nearby hears it. Some of the sounds are to be expected and unavoidable when living in a residential area. But extreme noise levels are the result of selfish, juvenile behavior.
One house in my neighborhood has parties every weekend. The people attending these parties don't live in or own this house. They are local weekend renters, not tourists. These people have no vested interest in the house, the neighborhood, or any respect for the people who do live there. These party renters ignore Covid-19 rules, exceeding the maximum four people gatherings, and routinely throw their trash into the sea or just leave it on the street. The worst part is the loud music and noise they subject everyone to around them. It's an invasion of sorts and impossible to escape even with windows shut and ear plugs. Most people look forward to weekends, but here they are dreaded.
The renters' house is modest with a small yard, yet has a sound system that would fill a large night club with music. The music and noise frequently goes on until four in the morning and can be heard a kilometer away. Asking these people to kindly turn down the volume is often met with liquor-fueled aggression or is simply ignored. On occasion the Polis have been called to intervene, but it usually takes several phone calls at 2:00 am, 3:00 am, and 4:00 am to get a response, and even longer for an officer to arrive, if at all.
Commercial districts are the place for noisy late-night bars and night clubs, not residential neighborhoods. People who have private parties at their homes or at homes they rent need to respect the neighbors around them and keep music and noise at a reasonable level, especially at night.
Unfortunately, selfish and disrespectful people exist even on Curacao. Their behavior crosses the line of civility and diminishes the quality of life for those on whom they inflict their poor manners. It's for this reason that most cities and municipalities around the world have noise ordinances, but the Polis I spoke to about this were unaware of any such laws or ordinances in effect on Curacao. Members of parliament should consider enacting a civil noise ordinance aimed at people who impose excessive noise pollution on others. Such an ordinance is especially needed for residential neighborhoods were people need their sleep because they have to work, or wake early to care for children, even on weekends.
Curacao is a small island with about 160,000 residents and can feel crowded at times. It is important people at least attempt to be civil to one another and show some level of respect towards their fellow neighbors. In the absence of that, laws must be in place to protect people from those that impose their selfish ways on others.
