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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(14) DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG asked the following question:
I understand that on week-ends people who wish to make use of our public swimming pools in Kowloon have to queue up for more than an hour before they can be admitted and then for another hour to have their belongings deposited. (a) Is this unsatisfactory situation due to shortage of staff? And how is the present staff situation when compared with that of last year?
(b) Could more entrances be constructed to help to improve the situation?
(c) Do we have sufficient lifeguards?
MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:
It is true that at Kowloon Tsai swimming pool there are sometimes queues of swimmers awaiting admission at weekends or at other peak periods. This also happens at Victoria Park. When the pool is full, the gates are closed and thereafter small numbers are admitted from time to time, the criterion being equivalent to the numbers leaving the pools. The criterion of whether a pool is full is whether all the clothes baskets are in use or not. The building of additional entrances would not help since the point is that in these conditions the swimming areas are just incapable of taking any more people. Funds from the Block Vote have recently been released for the construction of sunshades at these two pools to cover the queuing-up areas to reduce discomfort to the public waiting outside.
At busy periods, swimmers also have to wait for considerable periods to deposit or reclaim their clothes. To some extent, particularly at Kowloon Tsai, this is due to the shortage of Dressing Room Attendants. However, even with a full complement of Dressing Room Attendants, if large numbers of swimmers wish to deposit or withdraw their clothes at the same time, a degree of congestion is inevitable.
I have just mentioned the shortage of Dressing Room Attendants. I will now deal with this and with the life-guard staffing situation which forms the third part of Dr. HUANG'S question. Two years ago, a new system was agreed by which the establishment of permanent Urban Services Department staff in these two grades, and in Labourers for cleansing purposes, was substantially reduced, and the deficiency made up during the peak months of June, July, and August and on weekends and public holidays in April, May, September, and October by paid temporary staff. This system came into effect this year. Thus, at Kowloon Tsai, for instance, under the old system there was a permanent establishment of 15 male and female Dressing Room Attendants, which, under the new system, has been reduced to a permanent establishment of 8, augmented by 8 temporary staff. Although quite large numbers of people responded to the advertisement for temporary Dressing Room Attendants, in practice many of them when offered appointment declined it. The situation has improved lately, as the department has worked through the waiting-list, and on 26 June at Kowloon Tsai there was a shortage of 2 temporary Dressing Room Attendants as well as 4 permanent Attendants; at Morse Park of 2 female temporary attendants out of a total permanent and temporary establishment of 28; and a shortage of 1 male and 1 female temporary Attendant out of a total establishment of 12 at Victoria Park.
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The shortage of Pool Attendants (lifeguards) is more serious. At Morse Park, the permanent establishment is 12, and the temporary establishment is also 12. There is a shortage of 6 permanent and 7 temporary staff. At Victoria Park, the permanent establishment is 6 and the temporary establishment also 6. The department is fully up to establishment at this pool. At Kowloon Tsai, the permanent establishment is 8 and the temporary establishment 6. There is a deficiency of 1 permanent and 3 temporary staff. It is not easy to recruit permanent lifeguards. Two attempts were made last year, one within the department and one by public advertisement, and again early in June this year when the same procedure was followed. Last year's recruiting exercises did not produce the required number of officers, and it is too early to say how successful this year's exercise will prove. Certainly the low pay offered of $416-471 per month is a factor, and for a very considerable period the department has been negotiating an improved scale with Government. There are hopes that this improved scale will be approved, and the June advertisements have stated the possibility of this improvement. As for the temporary staff, the response has been much more disappointing than for Dressing Room Attendants, and the department is seeking to encourage the temporary staff now in service
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