Y.F.F. says survey supports toy gun ban

The National Rifle Association in the U.S.A. likes to say that guns don’t kill people; people kill people. Well, one organisation in Belize is claiming that not only do guns lead to killing, but even toy guns can put us on the road to fatal violence.

Results from the first random survey conducted by Youth for the Future show that there is a relationship between toy guns and real weapons.

Linsford Castillo, Director, Y.F.F.
“One of the questions, one of the findings that we uncovered was that about sixty-eight percent of those who own toy guns ended up owning or want or have the desire to own a real gun.”

The five week exercise was conducted to find out if there is a link between owning toy guns and real guns? Who owns toy guns and real guns? Crimes committed with toy guns and if toy guns should be banned.

Linsford Castillo
“Approximately eighty-eight percent of those we interviewed are saying to us that we need to ban the sale of toy guns in Belize and to me that is a very, very overwhelming and convincing response because all along we believe that. And all along we were saying that we believe that we should ban the sale of toy guns but after having gone through this exercise and after having done our research and our homework, we have found out that the public is agreeing and is stating what pretty much we have been saying all along.”

“We believe that pretty much the information that we gathered is basically what the entire population is saying as far as it relates to this topic. So we feel comfortable enough even though the sample size could have been a bit larger, that is up to be debated, but the information we have I think is adequate enough.”

The study reveals that a large number of those persons who said that they own real guns use them for their own protection but it was a series of crime committed last year with the use of toy guns that prompted Y.F.F. to initiate a campaign to ban the sale and importation of toy guns.

Kevin Cadle, Programme Development Manager, Y.F.F.
“I think it’s a bit unrealistic but I do believe that our attempt to do what we want to do is a tall order however, if the powers to be worked with us we believe we can achieve a great deal not just through legislation but also through society, that parents, neighbours, the community at large, N.G.O.’s and other sectors would take up the mandate to seek to try and ban the sale of toy guns in our country.”

Eighty-eight percent of the respondents have not come in conflict with the law. Only twelve percent claimed to have been arrested, detained or otherwise had a serious encounter with police.

A copy of the results was handed over to Merilyn Young, a representative from the Attorney General’s Office during a ceremony to release the findings. Y.F.F. programme development manager Kevin Cadle admits that it will take more than just a thirty-seven page booklet to accomplish their goal.

Kevin Cadle
“We are hoping to do two things. One, to seek financial assistance to conduct a larger research in the particular area and also to focus on the psychological effects of toy guns and real guns as well as looking directly to the attorney general and the legislative team to seek alternatives to owning toy guns within the country for young people.”

A total of fourteen questions were asked to the three hundred and ninety people interviewed.

Interviewees ranged in age from fourteen to thirty years old.