Seasonal marketing of "look alike" AK 47s dangerous, irresponsible -Gouveia
Stabroek News
December 29, 2006
A retired Guyana Defence Force Major and prominent member of the local business community has reacted angrily to the sale by local toy distributors of replica AK 47 automatic weapons during the recent pre-Christmas shopping season.
President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce Captain Gerry Gouveia told Stabroek Business that in the current climate of heightened sensitivity to crime much of which involved the use of real AK 47s the marketing of toy replicas was "an act of gross insensitivity by merchants who are obviously not in tune with national circumstances."
Noting that the appearance of the look-alike AK 47s had coincided with an ongoing search by the GDF for a number of similar real weapons Captain Gouveia said that it was "nothing short of absurd" that businessmen would import and market such toys.
"I have seen these toys, They are not colourful creations that stand out as toys, They are look alikes, replicas complete with magazines," Captain Gouveia said.
According to the retired army officer it was ironic that businessmen, who are themselves among the principal victims of gun-related crimes would be so concerned about maximizing their Christmas sales that they would market toys that could be used in actual robberies. "It is entirely conceivable that some of those very toys could be used in hold-ups and robberies," he added.