Trinidad and Tobago underwent its first Old Year’s Night under the new Fireworks Regulations, with a stipulated time to ignite their products between 11:30pm on Old Year’s Night and 12:30am on January 1st, New Year’s Day.

Despite reports of people sticking to the stipulated period to use their products, Citizens Against Noise Pollution in Trinidad and Tobago (CANPTT) reported that there are still those intent on breaking the law.

Minister of Land and Legal Affairs Saddam Hosein said from anecdotal reports, citizens did respect the new laws.

“There has been a large level of compliance with the current amendments that were passed by the government, but we still have those who decided that they will break the law. I think the Prime Minister was very clear in when she said that if you cannot adhere to the law, then we may have to, you know, do what we have to do as a government in order to bring that level of peace to the neighbourhoods.”

Speaking to TTT News, local veterinarian Dr. Mahfouz Aziz said the issue of noise pollution and fireworks goes far beyond animal welfare, calling it a “public health problem.”

“Not just the animals are affected by this. This is a public health problem that has to be addressed as a one medicine problem, both by the medical profession and the animal welfare and the veterinarians. This problem cannot be solved, say, just by the vets making noise or talking on TV or on the radio. We’ve been going through this year after year.”

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