Changing gears now..
You'll recall that last month, the churches were raising holy hell about a racy billboard at the entrance of Belmopan.
The billboard was an ad for Whisky Rudeboy and featured Soca artist Nailah Blackman in a provocative pose.
The criticism was that she was scantily clad and the image was harmful for the Garden city and particularly its children. Up to today, the billboard is still there and we asked the area rep what he thinks of it.
Oscar Mira, Minister of Home Affairs
"You know that I never knew the billboard was there until they brought it up. And I told my driver, can we go and find this billboard? Because I want to see it. So I didn't even know it was there, you know, they brought it up and, I think that there is though, we need to ensure that we are not putting an advertisement that does damage to our children, thatdoes damage to society. But it is not for one group of persons to decide if it's distasteful or not, because what might be for you may not be for someone else. And, so there's a whole big, issue that if we feel that it should not be there, then let's take it, somewhere where that can be ventilated and decided if it's indeed, okay or not to be up there. As I said from the beginning, I really never know that billboard was there. I had never seen it. It doesn't make me want to for drink a rudeboy, you know, I don't because that's, that's not what I do. But I had to go and look for it. I think a lot of attention was put to it. And, I mean, if it is that, it goes contrary to whatever laws we have here in Belize, then it should go down. But if it doesn't, then I see no issue. There should be a place for businesses to advertise their business. But more than just the billboard, I think that the main issue is the narrative that from the very beginning, this product is bringing. So it's not just about a billboard, it's about a whole bigger issue. And I think I would like to see that a more emphasis is put on the bigger issue, other than just that billboard."
