Senior Reporter
sascha.wilson@guardian.co.tt
When pensioner Fareed Kassim got into difficulty swimming at Indian Bay, Guayaguayare, he was seen waving and signalling for help.
But his friend, Farouk Mohammed, said there were no lifeguards on duty. Kassim’s body washed ashore on Tuesday night.
Kassim, 73, of New Grant, and Mohammed, were friends for more than 14 years and were accustomed to going to the beach together.
Mohammed recalled that they stayed in the water for about 30 minutes, and then came out.
Shortly after, Mohammed went back into the sea, leaving Kassim on the shore.
Mohammed said Kassim told him he was not going back into the water.
Mohammed said he returned to the shore about 10 minutes later. He did not see Kassim and got worried.
He said, “When I asked the guys and them, they say they saw an old fella going out by the breakers and he waving his hand and it seemed as though he wanted help.”
While there is a lifeguard booth at the beach, he said there were no lifeguards on duty. Given that Kassim was a good swimmer, he believes that if the lifeguards were at the beach they could have saved his life.
Describing him as a good person, he said he was active in the mosque and well-known in the community.
When contacted yesterday, Lifeguard Services secretary Anthony Paul confirmed that there were no lifeguards patrolling the beach.
Paul said there were no lifeguards at the beach because of the dilapidated condition of the tower as well as the fact that transport from the headquarters to Indian Bay was not working.
Apart from those issues, Paul claimed they also had manpower shortages and the National Security Ministry is aware of these issues.
“Since the beginning of this year, we had one meeting and we had a meeting scheduled for May. That meeting never came off and ever since, through the union NUGFWU, we have been writing to the ministry requesting an urgent meeting to see if we could sort out these problems that are facing lifeguard services.”
However, Paul claimed they had received no response.
