1977 — Page 40

Urban Council Proceedings 市政局議事錄 All AI Reviewed

Page 40 of 174

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

year, there were 10 drownings at bathing beaches and 2 at swimming pools. As in past years, the Urban Council continues to operate a Water Safety programme by organizing a massive Learn-to-Swim scheme from mid-April to early October at all its swimming pools, a Water Safety Poster Design competition, and a Hong Kong Swimmers' Badge Proficiency Award Scheme with the Hong Kong Life Guard Club and the Education Department. Efforts will continue to be made to put across to the swimming public the safety message through newspapers, radio, and television. As an additional water safety measure, warning notices and posters appealing to the public to exercise caution and self-discipline have been put up at beaches and swimming pools in an endeavour to prevent the needless loss of human lives.

(c) According to the details of post for Lifeguard, the applicant must be below 35 years of age, be of good physique and good eye-sight (without glasses), possess the Bronze Medallion Certificate of the Royal Life Saving Society and a valid First Aid Certificate, and have an educational standard up to Primary 6. In addition to the normal duties of a lifeguard, the post-holder will be expected to perform manual maintenance jobs at beaches such as carpentry, tractor driving, painting, tree trimming, planting etc. especially during the off season. Consequently, because of the tough training and working style of a lifeguard, such as long hours under the sun, vigorous duties in connection with life-saving, body handling and rescue boat handling, etc., the job of a lifeguard is by its nature more suited to members of the male sex, and the Department has not so far recruited a female lifeguard, even though the conditions of appointment do not specify that applicants must be male.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English): -How many, and at which beaches, are there part-time and voluntary lifeguards being deployed?

MR. Lo (in English):-Well, when we get them, they are posted, I take it, to the major beaches. I do not think there are any definite figures of how many we send each weekend.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English):-Did the Select Committee and the department recently consider the need for strengthening the manning of the main beaches, particularly beaches where there have been fatalities recently?

MR. Lo (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I think the coverage adequate. It does not mean to say that if you appoint more lifeguards then nobody will drown. Up to a certain point, just a mere posting of all lifeguards may not help, because we must realize that with thousands of people on a beach they must, to a certain extent, look after themselves. A drowning person looks little different from somebody just playing around in the water.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English): -How many female applicants for the post of lifeguard have there been in the past three years?

MR. Lo (in English):-I believe none, but I will have to make enquiries and confirm that to Mr. CHEONG-LEEN.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English): Mr. Chairman, members of the female sex are qualified to join the Police Force. Why isn't it possible to find suitable female applicants for the post of Urban Council lifeguards?

CHAIRMAN (in English):-That is seeking an expression of opinion. (Laughter).

MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English):—Mr. Chairman, may I then ask another question if you consider that an expression of opinion. If female lifeguards are now accepted in other countries why can't the same practice be introduced in a modern place like Hong Kong? In carrying out their responsibilities would not the female lifeguards be able to complement, strengthen and even improve upon the performance of their male counterparts so as to reduce the incidents of drowning at Urban Council gazetted beaches?

CHAIRMAN (in English):-The first part is a supplementary question. The second part is a political statement which we will have written into the record anyway. (Laughter).

MR. Lo (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I outlined in my reply to Mr. CHEONG-LEEN's question that the reasons why it is considered that lifeguards, for the time being at least, should be exclusively male, is because of the hard work, the vigorous style of their job, the rough conditions and the extra work that they are expected to do and so on.

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Page 40 of 174 45 E 44 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL year, there were 10 drownings at bathing beaches and 2 at swimming pools. As in past years, the Urban Council continues to operate a Water Safety programme by organizing a massive Learn-to-Swim scheme from mid-April to early October at all its swimming pools, a Water Safety Poster Design competition, and a Hong Kong Swimmers' Badge Proficiency Award Scheme with the Hong Kong Life Guard Club and the Education Department. Efforts will continue to be made to put across to the swimming public the safety message through newspapers, radio, and television. As an additional water safety measure, warning notices and posters appealing to the public to exercise caution and self-discipline have been put up at beaches and swimming pools in an endeavour to prevent the needless loss of human lives. (c) According to the details of post for Lifeguard, the applicant must be below 35 years of age, be of good physique and good eye-sight (without glasses), possess the Bronze Medallion Certificate of the Royal Life Saving Society and a valid First Aid Certificate, and have an educational standard up to Primary 6. In addition to the normal duties of a lifeguard, the post-holder will be expected to perform manual maintenance jobs at beaches such as carpentry, tractor driving, painting, tree trimming, planting etc. especially during the off season. Consequently, because of the tough training and working style of a lifeguard, such as long hours under the sun, vigorous duties in connection with life-saving, body handling and rescue boat handling, etc., the job of a lifeguard is by its nature more suited to members of the male sex, and the Department has not so far recruited a female lifeguard, even though the conditions of appointment do not specify that applicants must be male. MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English): -How many, and at which beaches, are there part-time and voluntary lifeguards being deployed? MR. Lo (in English):-Well, when we get them, they are posted, I take it, to the major beaches. I do not think there are any definite figures of how many we send each weekend. HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English):-Did the Select Committee and the department recently consider the need for strengthening the manning of the main beaches, particularly beaches where there have been fatalities recently? MR. Lo (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I think the coverage adequate. It does not mean to say that if you appoint more lifeguards then nobody will drown. Up to a certain point, just a mere posting of all lifeguards may not help, because we must realize that with thousands of people on a beach they must, to a certain extent, look after themselves. A drowning person looks little different from somebody just playing around in the water. MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English): -How many female applicants for the post of lifeguard have there been in the past three years? MR. Lo (in English):-I believe none, but I will have to make enquiries and confirm that to Mr. CHEONG-LEEN. MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English): Mr. Chairman, members of the female sex are qualified to join the Police Force. Why isn't it possible to find suitable female applicants for the post of Urban Council lifeguards? CHAIRMAN (in English):-That is seeking an expression of opinion. (Laughter). MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English):—Mr. Chairman, may I then ask another question if you consider that an expression of opinion. If female lifeguards are now accepted in other countries why can't the same practice be introduced in a modern place like Hong Kong? In carrying out their responsibilities would not the female lifeguards be able to complement, strengthen and even improve upon the performance of their male counterparts so as to reduce the incidents of drowning at Urban Council gazetted beaches? CHAIRMAN (in English):-The first part is a supplementary question. The second part is a political statement which we will have written into the record anyway. (Laughter). MR. Lo (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I outlined in my reply to Mr. CHEONG-LEEN's question that the reasons why it is considered that lifeguards, for the time being at least, should be exclusively male, is because of the hard work, the vigorous style of their job, the rough conditions and the extra work that they are expected to do and so on. Page 40 Page 41 Page 41 of 174

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Page 40 of 174 Page 40 of 174 45 E 44 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL year, there were 10 drownings at bathing beaches and 2 at swimming pools. As in past years, the Urban Council continues to operate a Water Safety pro- gramme by organizing a massive Learn-to-Swim scheme from mid-April to early October at all its swimming pools, a Water Safety Poster Design com- petition, and a Hong Kong Swimmers' Badge Pro- ficiency Award Scheme with the Hong Kong Life Guard Club and the Education Department. Efforts will continue to be made to put across to the swim- ming public the safety message through newspapers, radio, and television. As an additional water safety measure, warning notices and posters appealing to the public to exercise caution and self-discipline have been put up at beaches and swimming pools in an endeavour to prevent the needless loss of human lives. (c) According to the details of post for Lifeguard, the applicant must be below 35 years of age, be of good physique and good eye-sight (without glasses), possess the Bronze Medallion Certificate of the Royal Life Saving Society and a valid First Aid Certificate, and have an educational standard up to Primary 6. In addition to the normal duties of a lifeguard, the post- holder will be expected to perform manual main- tenance jobs at beaches such as carpentry, tractor driving, painting, tree trimming, planting etc. es- pecially during the off season. Consequently, be- cause of the tough training and working style of a lifeguard, such as long hours under the sun, vigorous duties in connection with life-saving, body handling and rescue boat handling, etc., the job of a lifeguard is by its nature more suited to members of the male sex, and the Department has not so far recruited a female lifeguard, even though the conditions of appointment do not specify that applicants must be male. MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English): -How many, and at which beaches, are there part-time and voluntary lifeguards being deployed? MR. Lo (in English):-Well, when we get them, they are posted, I take it, to the major beaches. I do not think there are any definite figures of how many we send each weekend. HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English):-Did the Select Committee and the department recently consider the need for strengthening the man- ning of the main beaches, particularly beaches where there have been fatalities recently? is MR. Lo (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I think the coverage adequate. It does not mean to say that if you appoint more lifeguards then nobody will drown. Up to a certain point, just a mere posting of all lifeguards may not help, because we must realize that with thousands of people on a beach they must, to a certain extent, look after themselves. A drowning person looks little different from some- body just playing around in the water. MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English): -How many female applicants for the post of lifeguard have there been in the past three years? MR. Lo (in English):-I believe none, but I will have to make enquiries and confirm that to Mr. CHEONG-LEEN. MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English): Mr. Chairman, members of the female sex are qualified to join the Police Force. Why isn't it possible to find suitable female applicants for the post of Urban Council lifeguards? CHAIRMAN (in English):-That is seeking an expression of opinion. (Laughter). MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English):—Mr. Chairman, may I then ask another question if you consider that an expression of opinion. If female lifeguards are now accepted in other countries why can't the same practice be introduced in a modern place like Hong Kong? In carrying out their responsibilities would not the female lifeguards be able to complement, strengthen and even improve upon the perform- ance of their male counterparts so as to reduce the incidents of drowning at Urban Council gazetted beaches? CHAIRMAN (in English):-The first part is a supplementary ques- tion. The second part is a political statement which we will have written into the record anyway. (Laughter). MR. Lo (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I outlined in my reply to Mr. CHEONG-LEEN's question that the reasons why it is considered that lifeguards, for the time being at least, should be exclusively male, is because of the hardwork, the vigorous style of their job, the rough conditions and the extra work that they are expected to do and so on. Page 40Page 41 Page 41 of 174

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Page 40 of 174

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

year, there were 10 drownings at bathing beaches and 2 at swimming pools. As in past years, the Urban Council continues to operate a Water Safety pro- gramme by organizing a massive Learn-to-Swim scheme from mid-April to early October at all its swimming pools, a Water Safety Poster Design com- petition, and a Hong Kong Swimmers' Badge Pro- ficiency Award Scheme with the Hong Kong Life Guard Club and the Education Department. Efforts will continue to be made to put across to the swim- ming public the safety message through newspapers, radio, and television. As an additional water safety measure, warning notices and posters appealing to the public to exercise caution and self-discipline have been put up at beaches and swimming pools in an endeavour to prevent the needless loss of human lives.

(c) According to the details of post for Lifeguard, the applicant must be below 35 years of age, be of good physique and good eye-sight (without glasses), possess the Bronze Medallion Certificate of the Royal Life Saving Society and a valid First Aid Certificate, and have an educational standard up to Primary 6. In addition to the normal duties of a lifeguard, the post- holder will be expected to perform manual main- tenance jobs at beaches such as carpentry, tractor driving, painting, tree trimming, planting etc. es- pecially during the off season. Consequently, be- cause of the tough training and working style of a lifeguard, such as long hours under the sun, vigorous duties in connection with life-saving, body handling and rescue boat handling, etc., the job of a lifeguard is by its nature more suited to members of the male sex, and the Department has not so far recruited a female lifeguard, even though the conditions of appointment do not specify that applicants must be male.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English): -How many, and at which beaches, are there part-time and voluntary lifeguards being deployed?

MR. Lo (in English):-Well, when we get them, they are posted, I take it, to the major beaches. I do not think there are any definite figures of how many we send each weekend.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English):-Did the Select Committee and the department recently consider the need for strengthening the man- ning of the main beaches, particularly beaches where there have been

fatalities recently?

MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English): -How many female applicants for the post of lifeguard have there been in the past three years?

MR. Lo (in English):-I believe none, but I will have to make enquiries and confirm that to Mr. CHEONG-LEEN.

CHAIRMAN (in English):-That is seeking an expression of opinion. (Laughter).

MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English):—Mr. Chairman, may I then ask another question if you consider that an expression of opinion. If female lifeguards are now accepted in other countries why can't the same practice be introduced in a modern place like Hong Kong? In carrying out their responsibilities would not the female lifeguards be able to complement, strengthen and even improve upon the perform- ance of their male counterparts so as to reduce the incidents of drowning at Urban Council gazetted beaches?

CHAIRMAN (in English):-The first part is a supplementary ques- tion. The second part is a political statement which we will have written into the record anyway. (Laughter).

MR. Lo (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I outlined in my reply to Mr. CHEONG-LEEN's question that the reasons why it is considered that lifeguards, for the time being at least, should be exclusively male, is because of the hardwork, the vigorous style of their job, the rough conditions and the extra work that they are expected to do and so on.

1977 — Page 40

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