Summary

• Sturge warned Carnival revellers against lewd public behaviour, including bringing or using sex toys on the road, and said offenders will face charges.
• He urged responsible sexual conduct, noting widespread CCTV and cellphone footage can identify misconduct.
• He announced expanded lifeguard coverage at more beaches, with reserve lifeguards deployed for the long weekend and three new jet skis added for Mayaro rescues.

By Alicia Chamely

LIFEGUARD services will be expanded across the country.

This according to Defence Minister Wayne Sturge speaking at a press conference on Friday at the VIP Room Grandstand, Queens Park Savannah, Port of Spain

Sturge announced cabinet’s approval to expand life services to a select number of unmanned beaches and said three new jet skis had been acquired to assist in rescue operations.

He said, “We’ve expanded lifeguard services because there are quite a number of beaches which have, over the years, increased in popularity, and we have to take account of that we saw quite recently. A teenager lost his life a few days ago at one of the more popular but unmanned beaches, that’s grand lagoon, and cabinet has agreed to include Grand Lagoon as well as one Espoir and Meter River Point among the beaches due for expansion in terms of the provision of lifeguard services and in the east, two More beaches, sorry, one in the East, Balandra and one in the North, Tyrico.”

Sturge said to accommodate the expected surge of visitors this weekend to the beach, the ministry had called out all reserve lifeguards. He said they started duty on Thursday and would be out for the next six days.

Further, he announced the ministry had acquired three jet skis to assist in rescue operations along the Mayaro coast.

Sturge urged beach goers to practice safety in the water even with the increase in the lifeguard service.

He said, “Now, although there’ll be an increasing number of lifeguards and we’ll have assistance from the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, and we’ll have jet skis and patrols and all that. We beg that you, nonetheless, those of you who go to the beach practice water safety, because when a current pulls you under, if the jet ski doesn’t get to you in two minutes or three minutes max, what is search and rescue would become retrieval. So be aware of your surroundings. Some beaches, they are strong currents. They are known for their strong currents.”