Cash for Guns programme receives support
On last night’s One On One, the programme Cash for Guns was discussed at length with the show’s guests Lascelle Arnold and Darrel Carter. Both Arnold and Carter say the programme has been getting a number of support from the business community and concerned citizens. While the goal is to get as much illegal guns off the street in an effort to eliminate crime, the media is being called upon to give a more healthy image of Belize and stay away from the sensationalism of crime.
Lascelle Arnold, Chairman, Cash For Guns Programme
“Well when the programme first started we got a cheque of ten thousand dollars up front.”
Dickie Bradley
“From?”
Lascelle Arnold
“Well we got it from Glenn Godfrey. When I checked and up to this morning, we have already collected three thousand dollars. That is up to ten o’clock. Tomorrow we will actually start to get on the phone. We really get the money when the programme starts when people really start to see the guns coming in and they know we need more cash.”
Dickie Bradley
“The government is throwing in something?”
Lascelle Arnold
“The government will support the programme money wise.”
Dickie Bradley
“The opposition will throw in some money?”
Lascelle Arnold
“I hope so.”
Dickie Bradley
“Where can persons carry money?”
Lascelle Arnold
“All of the contributions and donations should go directly to the Chamber of Commerce at the Accounting Department.”
“One of the thing I would want to say Dickie right after the programme because I think the media could play a major role in turning the whole thing around. The media feeds on crime and that sort of thing.”
Dickie Bradley
“You mean sensationalise it?”
Lascelle Arnold
“Right, to some degree. I went to Cayman and you look at the news on the T.V. or in the newspaper, you don’t see any crime.”
Dickie Bradley
“Even if there is a mugging or a robbery, they will try to downplay it?”
Lascelle Arnold
“Downplay it some way or the other, because of the tourism. For tourism to strive, you cannot have a crime society. I think this is where the media and everyone can come together and see how we can work it out.”
Dickie Bradley
“Would you be spearheading such a effort?”
Lascelle Arnold
“I would like to do something like that.”
Dickie Bradley
“To sit with the media and ask that instead of putting on the front page that two little boys did this, it can be on the inside of the paper where it’s not as sensational with all these ugly mug shots? That’s going to be kinda hard, because the media in Belize is so competitive and they’re all fighting for news. They carry on these stories as if though that’s the only thing that’s going on.”
Cash For Guns gets underway from 6:00 a.m. till 6:00 p.m. on Monday August twenty-eight. The receiving centre is at the New Carter’s Upholstery at the corner of Cemetery Road and Elston Kerr Street.
