A place for loud music is needed, business owners say

Santo Domingo.- A group of owners of colmados and other businesses on Monday asked the Senate to establish what they call a ‘zone of tolerance’ where people can listen to and enjoy music played loudly.

The business owners and members of the entrepreneur federations delivered a document with their request of a "zone of musical tolerance” to Senate president Cristina Lizardo, after staging a march to the Justice Ministry and from there and to Congress.

They said they’ve lost music equipment such as stereos and speakers during the past 12 months, seized by the Justice Ministry, the Police and the Emergency System 911, and have had to lay off 2,900 workers.

Merchant federation president Ivan de Jesus Garcia said although he agrees with the environmental policies to protect citizens against noise pollution, the fact that that music has become an industry that’s the livelihood of hundreds of families, there should be a space for loud music.