which you cannot escape in a place as small as Bermuda, can dangerously raise frustration levels. Noise can literally drive Bermudians mad and drive visitors away.

There was a time when Bermudians were very conscious of noise and very keen to keep Bermuda -- The Isles of Rest -- both beautiful and peaceful. Bermudians cared about noise. That does not seem to apply much any more.

We think caring about noise should be revived, perhaps by the new Minister of the Environment. There is little doubt that Bermuda is becoming much noisier and there seems to be a reluctance to deal with the problem. There appears to be no check on cycle noise and, as nearly as we can tell, very little cycle testing. The noise level from cars is little different with blaring illegal radio noise and horns used for greeting and to celebrate cup wins and weddings. Don't bother to look up because the noise from above is a helicopter roaring along the shoreline.

Today the waters, which were once an area of escape from problems on land, are little better than the land. Power boats roar. Jet skis screech around the shores. Toy power boats whine. Party cruise boats blare out both music and commentary. The noise from these party boats is getting worse, the equipment they have now can produce louder sound and they are setting a precedent for behaviour on the water. That will become outrageous because radios and stereos are almost as prevalent in boats on the water these days as they are in cars and noise carries well across water.

There are adequate laws to protect us from noise but far too often they are not enforced. They could protect the public if they were used in the way they were intended. The public is not kept abreast of what the laws are so that they can claim their rights.

But there is something much more disturbing. Various groups seem to give permission to other people to break the noise laws. That includes sporting clubs and the Corporation of St. George's which rents space to groups for noisy concerts which break the sound laws with impunity and Government which rents out its boats for parties. The reggae blaring from the tug which helped the Horizon out of St. George's on the first day of Cup Match was unbelievable.

How and why this is allowed is a mystery except money is involved. How can they give permission with Police agreement and Police cooperation for people to break the law? But they do. If you call the Police about concert noise, they will tell you that there is nothing they can do. Laws which are not enforced, or which are openly broken, bring the body of the law into disrepute. People who encourage or condone this intrusive noise, especially for profit, are damaging the environment of Bermuda for personal gain. We must either enforce the noise laws or remove them from the books so that everyone, not just some, can make an unbearable racket.

If that happens maybe Bermuda will get serious about noise before we all lose our minds.