Proposal to outsource lifeguards sparks concerns about safety

Swimmers may encounter outsourced lifeguards in public swimming pools in the future, according to the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Bureau.

Undersecretary for Culture, Sports, and Tourism Raistlin Lau Chun said authorities are considering to hire contractors for lifesaving services at six public swimming pools, including those in Hong Kong Island East and Tai Kok Tsui.

The government hopes that around 80 lifeguards from these six pools can later be reassigned to other pools in the district. However, this plan only involves outsourcing the services, as the pool management will remain under the department's control.

"Outsourcing is being considered as a last resort, as the government has already attempted recruitment and other measures to improve pool services," Lau said. "However, we have faced significant difficulties."

This decision has raised concerns among labor sector lawmakers, who argue that previous experiences with outsourcing lifeguard services have compromised swimmers' safety.

Lawmaker Chau Siu-chung said: "When the government outsourced two pools in 2001 and 2005, serious management issues arose, and there were even instances of unqualified individuals posing as lifeguards."

He also said that despite issuing 1,800 Pool Lifeguard Awards annually, Hong Kong struggles to attract lifeguards due to low salaries.

Chau added that an immediate review of the job-grading structure is essential to address this issue.

Lawmaker Nixie Lam Lam suggested the government focus on enhancing the overall image of lifeguards to attract more young people to the industry.

As of August 1 last year, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department employed a total of 1,741 lifeguards, including 181 senior lifeguards and 1,560 regular lifeguards.

However, only about 30 percent of candidates passed the skills test and recruitment interviews, which is lower than the previous year's rate of 40 percent.

Due to the shortage of lifeguards, 23 out of 41 swimming pools were partially opened from April to May last year, while 28 had a partial opening from June to August.

About 1,800 lifeguards are needed from April to May and September to October, while around 2,000 lifeguards are required from June to August each year. Even during the non-swimming season - from November to March - the LCSD requires over 1,200 lifeguards.

To improve lifeguard services, the LCSD is planning to raise the remuneration for seasonal lifeguards in the upcoming 2024 swimming season to align with market trends.

The proposed monthly salary, along with the contract completion bonus, would range from HK$24,500 to HK$26,000 - narrowing the salary gap with the private sector.

marcus.lum@singtaonewscorp.com