Drowning sorrows

SWIMMING pool lifeguards in Hong Kong have a lousy reputation. Perhaps it has something to do with the unfortunate fact many could not swim to save themselves, let alone members of the public.

A number who reckoned circling the pool, eyeing young women in swimming togs was the next best thing to episodes of Baywatch, overcame an aversion to water by obtaining bogus lifeguard certificates.

Improvements were promised after police cracked that racket, and evidence emerged at inquest hearings that some lifeguards lacked the basic skills to mount a rescue or perform resuscitation.

But surely drinking beer while on duty is not one of the recommendations. The Regional Services Department could start with its Sai Kung pool if it was interested in taking preventative action.