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given by Mr. SALES to Dr. HUANG at the July meeting of this Council. Mr. SALES then stated that, two years ago, a new system was agreed (by the Select Committee in November 1968) by which the establishment of permanent USD pool attendants (that is, lifeguards), dressing room attendants and labourers was substantially reduced, and the deficiency was to be 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; and that this system came into operation this year.
As at 31st August, the establishment and strength at our various pools were as follows:-
— Establishment Strength Victoria Park 42 37 Kowloon Tsai 48 36 Morse Park 78 58 Kwun Tong 78 59To meet operational reliefs for the staff at these pools, 23 additional posts are provided of which at present only 11 are filled.
Details of the various categories of staff are set out in the paper which I now table (Appendix I). This shows that the principal shortage is of pool attendants, for whom the main qualification is the possession of the Bronze Medallion Certificate of the Royal Life Saving Society. Qualified candidates are not easy to recruit, probably because of the arduous nature of the job and the low salary offered but there are hopes that all or most of the vacant pool attendant posts will have been filled by the end of the year. The department has been in correspondence with the Secretariat for a considerable period on the improvement of the salary scale. Members will also appreciate that wherever possible the Department endeavours to ensure that there is a leavening of experienced staff at all new pools by posting such staff from the older pools.
The answer to the third part of the question is that the Secretariat permits Amenities Assistants to be in post one month before the opening of a new pool, and all other departmental staff one week before the opening. However, since there are sometimes last-minute delays before a pool can be opened, it is usually possible to post staff to new pools somewhat earlier.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. SALES: Sir, may I, through you, convey to the staff of your Department our appreciation for the way they have worked this summer under very great pressure and tremendous shortage of staff. At the same time might I ask, Sir that you also convey to the Colonial Secretariat the dissatisfaction on the part of the public with the state of affairs that exist in the pools through the great shortage of skilled staff that undoubtedly exists? Can you give us this assurance, Sir, that you will convey this matter in very strong terms to the Colonial Secretariat of the dissatisfaction which exists without doubt over this unsatisfactory state of affairs.
CHAIRMAN: I will look at the matter and take it up with the Secretariat, Mr. SALES.
MRS. ELLIOTT: Mr. Chairman, am I to understand from the answer that people must have the life-saving qualifications before they apply for the job?
CHAIRMAN: That is correct, Mrs. ELLIOTT.
MRS. ELLIOTT: Mr. Chairman, as most people likely to have those qualifications are secondary school students, is it not possible to train people after they apply for the job?
CHAIRMAN: This would mean an amendment to the qualifications for the post, but in fact in order to overcome the difficulty of recruiting, we endeavour ourselves to get some of our own people trained so that they can apply for the post (so that they can get the Medallion certificate and then apply for the post).
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, might I add that there is a great amount of in-service training that has been going on for a number of years in your department, but still, the salary scales are so low that we are unable to attract and retain the staff that we really need and I would like, with your permission, to express my concern that the Secretariat allows the engagement of staff for these pools one month before they open. I think that is completely inadequate and thank you for allowing me to put a supplementary question in this way.
MR. HENRY HU: Mr. Chairman, may I ask one supplementary. On the first page, Mr. Chairman, the establishment and strength there are certain facts. Was it due to lack of qualified personnel or was it because of the low salary offered or may be both?
CHAIRMAN: We have tried recruiting exercises; we have difficulty in recruiting enough people; we feel it is because of the low salary scale and the arduous nature of the post.
MR. HU: Thank you.
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