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(d) The Regional Council (RC) has changed from contract to pensionable employment as the main way of recruiting lifeguards. Has this change in RC policy led to the wastage of Urban Council contract lifeguards? If so, what measures will this Council adopt to tackle the problem? If not, in what respects are the working conditions and welfare for our lifeguards better than those of RC? How can the Department ensure that the UC would not become a training centre for 'experienced lifeguards'?
MR. RONNIE WONG MAN-CHIU, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): The first part of Mr. Wu's question concerns the advantages and disadvantages of employing contract and pensionable lifeguards in the Council's aquatic venues.
Members may wish to recall that the decision to continue employment of Contract Lifeguard was reaffirmed by the Council in 1989 (vide Committee Paper REC/143/89, ADM/135/89, FIN/232/89). The main advantages of employing contract lifeguards are:
(a) Reducing opportunities of having unfit lifeguards
The Department ceased to recruit pensionable lifeguards since 1989. The main reason was that they became physically unfit for life saving duties after having served in their posts for a number of years, long before their retirement age. There were then considerable problems in their redeployment to other posts within the Department. While they were retained in their posts, replacement lifeguards could not be recruited, and as a result, the provision of life saving services in the Council's aquatic venues suffered. Contract lifeguards employed by the Department did not present the same problem. The contract staff who became physically unfit will leave their employment with the Department for a second career elsewhere. The problem of having to carry unfit lifeguards in the Department's establishment for prolonged periods is greatly reduced.
(b) Providing job opportunities for persons seeking short term jobs
A contract term of two and a half years for contract lifeguards provides a clear break for the unfit, unwilling and unsuitable personnel. In turn, it enables the Council to be provided with a cadre of physically fit and efficient lifeguards to serve the public.
(c) Contract lifeguards are relatively more cooperative
The nature of work of lifeguards is mundane and there was the proven tendency for pensionable staff to be losing their drive in their daily duties. On the basis of the feedback from the direct field supervisors, contract lifeguards currently employed by the Council are relatively more cooperative in their daily discharge of duties.
(d) Speedy recruitment
Recruitment of contract lifeguards can be processed fairly quickly within the administrative machinery of the Leisure Management Division of the Department.
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
65
(d) The Regional Council (RC) has changed from contract to pensionable employment as the main way of recruiting lifeguards. Has this change in RC policy led to the wastage of Urban Council contract lifeguards? If so, what measures will this Council adopt to tackle the problem? If not, in what respects are the working conditions and welfare for our lifeguards better than those of RC? How can the Department ensure that the UC would not become a training centre for 'experienced lifeguards'?
MR. RONNIE WONG MAN-CHIU, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-The first part of Mr. Wu's question concerns the advantages and disadvantages of employing contract and pensionable lifeguards in the Council's aquatic venues.
Members may wish to recall that the decision to continue employment of Contract Lifeguard was reaffirmed by the Council in 1989 (vide Committee Paper REC/143/89, ADM/135/89, FIN/232/89). The main advantages of cmploying contract lifeguards are:
(a) Reducing opportunities of having unfit lifeguards
The Department ceased to recruit pensionable lifeguards since 1989. The main reason was that they became physically unfit for life saving duties after having served in their posts for a number of years, long before their retirement age. There were then considerable problems in their redeployment to other posts within the Department. While they were retained in their posts, replacement lifeguards could not be recruited, and as a result, the provision of life saving services in the Council's aquatic venues suffered. Contract lifeguards employed by the Department did not present the same problem. The contract staff who became physically unfit will leave their employment with the Department for a second career elsewhere. The problem of having to carry unfit lifeguards in the Department's establishment for prolonged periods is greatly reduced.
(b) Providing job opportunities for persons seeking short term jobs
A contract term of two and a half years for contract lifeguards provides a clear break for the unfit, unwilling and unsuitable personnel. In turn, it enables the Council to be provided with a cadre of physically fit and efficient lifeguards to serve the public.
(c) Contract lifeguards are relatively more cooperative
The nature of work of lifeguards is mundane and there was the proven tendency for pensionable staff to be losing their drive in their daily duties. On the basis of the feedback from the direct field supervisors, contract lifeguards currently employed by the Council are relatively more cooperative in their daily discharge of duties.
(d) Speedy recruitment
Recruitment of contract lifeguards can be processed fairly quickly within the administrative machinery of the Leisure Management Division of the Depart-
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Page 88 of 485
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