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In response to media enquiries regarding requests by the Hong Kong & Kowloon Life Guards' Union concerning manpower and grade structure, a spokesman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) gave the following response today (September 2):
The LCSD held a meeting with the Hong Kong & Kowloon Life Guards' Union today on various issues including lifeguard manpower, enhancement of lifeguards' professional skills and the grade structure. The department urged the union to place public interest and swimmers' safety first in a rational manner and remain steadfast in performing duties, and also appealed to lifeguard colleagues to demonstrate professionalism and be on duty punctually to provide essential lifesaving services to the public.
The spokesman stressed that the LCSD has all along maintained close dialogue with the unions concerned and listened to their views and demands modestly with a view to working closely with the unions to explore and implement practicable measures to enhance the service quality and the working environment. The safety of swimmers has always been the department's prime concern when considering the manpower requirements of lifeguards. The department has from time to time reviewed the lifeguard manpower arrangements for pools and beaches, taking into account the actual operational needs. To this end, an additional $14 million has been allocated in the past three years to increase more than 160 lifeguard quotas at different times for existing pools and beaches.
The department plans to launch a series of concrete measures shortly with the aims of increasing lifeguard manpower and enhancing the professional skills of lifeguards.
On increasing manpower supply, the LCSD will give priority to increasing the number of seasonal lifeguards at beaches in the swimming season. In the recruitment exercise for the next swimming season, the LCSD plans to offer a slightly higher salary to seasonal lifeguards for beaches than that for swimming pools, hoping to attract more qualified persons to become seasonal lifeguards at beaches and enhance the overall manpower supply of lifeguards.
Moreover, the LCSD will roll out early next year a pilot training scheme for seasonal lifeguards at beaches which will integrate training, internship and recruitment. Persons aged 18 or above possessing a valid Pool Lifeguard Award will be able to apply for the trainee programme. The selected applicants will receive four weeks of paid training and internship, and those who successfully pass the examination will be employed as beach seasonal lifeguards directly.
At the same time, the LCSD will also directly employ full-time seasonal lifeguards as part-timers after the completion of their current contracts till the next swimming season so as to streamline the recruitment procedures and expedite the lifeguard supply chain.
The spokesman said that the department will continue to allocate resources to provide lifeguards with a wide array of training opportunities in order to help improve the life-saving skills and professionalism of lifeguards.
Regarding the union's requests for the separation of lifeguards from the artisan grade, the spokesman said that the department has all along been exchanging views with the union. However, under the existing policy, a grade structure review must fulfil two guiding principles, namely having persistent difficulties in recruitment and retention of staff and having a fundamental change in job nature and responsibilities. As the current artisan (beach/swimming pool) grade cannot fulfil these conditions at this juncture, there are not sufficient grounds to support a grade structure review.
The department will continue its close dialogue with the union and explore ways to seek consensus, the spokesman added.
Ends/Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Issued at HKT 19:56
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