Easter in Bermuda is warmly associated with the flying of kites, both the traditional and "artificial" variety. The season this year, however, has been punctuated by a sharp increase in public complaints about noisy and annoying kite flying.

There are a small number of people who constantly disturb and frustrate their neighbours by flying extremely loud kites in several neighbourhoods throughout Bermuda.

The complaints include the persistent nature, the unsociable hours, and the piercing noise that disturbs the peace.

In the same way individuals playing music at home must be mindful of their neighbours, members of the public flying kites are requested to be mindful of the noise they create, and the time of day they take part in such activity.

It should be noted that several complainants have associated the flying of noisy kites with the supposed sale of illegal drugs in the neighbourhood, causing unnecessary anxiety to residents.

Members of the public are reminded that Section 18 (a) of the Summary Offences Act 1926 makes it an offence for any person to fly a kite over a public place "to the annoyance or danger of any passenger or frequenter."

The Bermuda Police Service wishes to make it clear that we would rather not use law enforcement to tackle this problem, and this is not an attack on a long standing Bermudian tradition.

Rather, it is an appeal for a common sense solution: for kite flyers to be reasonable and to be considerate of their neighbours.