60 trained, only 5 lifeguards hired

Health and Safety Officer from the lifeguard branch of the National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW) Augustus Sylvester, told Newsday that nearly 60 people were trained to fill positions at nine beaches in Trinidad and of those, five have been hired.

Sylvester said that in 2004, the Life Guard Association in collaboration with the union completed a survey of the beaches in Trinidad with the aim to determine which beaches had an urgent need for lifeguards.

This was done on the basis of potential danger from the condition of the beaches as well as popularity. The report was submitted to the Ministry of Tourism, who at the time, was responsible for the Lifeguard Service.

Since the initial survey, 13 years have passed and the Lifeguard Service Division now under the purview of the Ministry of National Security, has fallen backwards, Sylvester said.

While there is a need for lifeguards, especially during the vacation months, “the ministry has not employed people,” he said.

Currently serviced beaches are Vessigny, Las Cuevas, Los Iros, Manzanilla, Maracas/ Tyrico, Mayaro, Quinam, Salybia and Toco according to the Ministry of National Security website. Columbus Bay in Cedros is one of the many beaches not attended by lifeguards.

Two Sundays ago, a girl aged four wandered into the water during a brief moment when her mother had turned her back.

She was discovered by a beach goer who pulled her out of the water.

Luckily, three doctors were present and rushed to perform cardio-pulmonary resuscitation on the child (CPR) in the absence of lifeguards.

The girl was later pronounced dead on arrival at the Point Fortin Area Hospital.

Sylvester expressed condolences to the girl’s parents and warned against the dangers of not paying close attention to children. He said that due caution is important at beaches especially with an acute shortage of lifeguards.

“Young children should not be further than an arm’s reach away from adults,” he said.

Adults should position themselves further out in the water when monitoring children, Sylvester advised. He also warned that flotation devices should be used only by people who can swim as wearing such devices give non-swimmers a false sense of security which can lead to their detriment.

“We need to look more seriously at life guards and how people operate on beaches especially with recent calls to increase local tourism.

Since the downturn of the economy people go down the islands for fun rather than go away.

More often than not, they are no accompanied by lifeguards,” he said.