By SHEILA LASIBORI
THE National Government has been called upon to ban the import and sale of toy guns in the country.
And there should be stricter monitoring systems in place, especially at the international borders.
The recommendations on the gun report by the guns control committee headed by Maj-Gen (retired) Jerry Singirok had already been accepted by the National Government but needed to be tabled in Parliament.
Vavine Gabi, a survivor of gun violence who lost her mother in 1999, yesterday made the call in light of increasing gun violence in the country.
Ms Gabi last Tuesday returned from New York where she attended the Global Peoples’ Consultation event at the 62nd United Nations General Assembly’s first committee meeting.
“We should stop the sale of toy guns and put in place strict border controls. Why I say this is because young children absorb so much when they are little. It is psychological,” Ms Gabi said.
“We need more support from the National Government, resources and manpower at the borders,” she said.
This call was supported by the chairman of the PNG Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Oseah Philemon.
He said the festive season was approaching and parents would be out to buy presents for their children.
“My appeal is parents must not buy toy guns for their children,” he said, adding other items as toy military equipment and toys that resemble weapons should not be encouraged.
“We are sending the wrong signals to children … what type of culture are we trying to instill into our children,” he said.
“Please do not buy toy guns,” he said, as he acknowledged Ms Gabi’s trip and how she shared her family’s experience and that of her own when her mother was shot on the head with a gun at point blank by armed men.