Lifeguards in Tobago said they are fearful that the worst may happen on one of the island’s beaches as officials in the Division of Tourism Transport and Culture have reduced man power on the beaches in an effort to save money.
A group of lifeguards stepped forward to voice their concerns, which also include a lack of proper infrastructure on some beaches, no proper COVID-19 guidelines and no payment for working Public Holidays and Sundays since last year.
Representative for the group Cha Burris said after making several attempts to retrieve the outstanding monies they were told that “the sheets have been made up but there were no available funds.” Subsequent to that, management took a decision to reduce staff on Public Holidays and Sundays.
“Before COVID, the patrol captain use to make up the roster because he is in charge of the beach at store bay there are six life guards that are supposed to be working on a public holiday since this little thing started making circulation he was told he has to take off two or three lifeguards on a public holiday.”
He referred to one of the island’s most popular beaches Store Bay where staff was reduced from six to four. Burris described the situation as “unheard of” in his thirteen years on the job.
He said, “If you ask anyone in the lifeguard fraternity even the supervisors, on a public holiday and also weekends is when you need the full strength of lifeguards.”
Burris said they are also not being properly equipped to do their jobs.
“Since December 2016 the Buccoo Bay Beach Facility was opened and up to now we have not been given a lifeguard tower we are working under Manchineel tree (highly toxic coastal plant.)And in other cases there are guard towers on other beaches that are in urgent need of repair, he added.
Apart from being provided with gloves, hand sanitiser and masks they were given no other instruction or guidance when it comes to COVID-19
And one year into the pandemic they are yet to receive proper guidelines and distributing gloves, hand sanitisers and masks without further instruction is insufficient. Another lifeguard, Sheldon Johnson, said their anxiety was heightened during the recent Easter weekend when the beaches were crowded.
He said, “Dealing with someone who has COVID-19 during this pandemic is different from dealing with someone before the pandemic because we don’t know who has it from who doesn’t.”
He said the full complement of officers reported for duty although they were not given proper instructions.
“We consider ourselves from line workers and just like any other category of front line worker we also have families at home that we have to consider.”
Burris said he raised the concern on two occasions with Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis via text messaging, however is yet to receive any definitive response.
Guardian Media also reached out to Dennis, who is also the Secretary for Tourism and Culture for a comment on the accusations being made by the lifeguards, but up to news time there was no response
