Lifeguards to protest today

LIFEGUARDS have planned yet another protest to take place today, in the hope of forcing a resolution to their outstanding wage issues in time to provide their services at beaches across the country for the upcoming Easter weekend. Augustus Sylvester, spokesman for the lifeguards,  told Newsday that their march would take place at National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NFGWU) office and they will then proceed to the Office of the Prime Minister at Whitehall. “If we meet with the CPO today, we will only protest outside the office,” Sylvester told Newsday yesterday.

It was not clear up to late yesterday, if they indeed got a chance to meet with the CPO. He said a meeting on March 17, proved futile and the cut-off day given by the guards to the CPO’s office, for a resolution to the problem, will be Holy Thursday. “We are now on duty, but we are hoping to organise a meeting and protest. If we don’t get anything, we will be off work until after Shouter Baptist Holiday,” Sylvester said. Sherma Mitchell, Public relations officer at the Ministry of Tourism, said they have rostered casual workers for the long weekend. “We are looking at other measures to ensure safety at our nation’s beaches for the holidays,” she added. The Ministry of Tourism is expected to make a statement on the matter sometime today.