THE National Water Safety Council has called on all condominiums and clubs to hire lifeguards for their swimming pools.
The 18-member council, formed by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports to take the lead in promoting and enhancing water safety, believes this is the best way to ensure help is immediately at hand, should someone be in danger of drowning.
The call comes in the wake of the death of 10-year-old Jonathan Chow Kin Mun, who drowned in the pool of Palm Gardens condominium, in Choa Chu Kang, earlier this month.
The council, set up in April, is working with the Building & Construction Authority and other agencies to develop a building code for water facilities.
This will help developers design and develop safer pools, and guide those who manage and operate them.
Dr Teo Ho Pin, council chairman and MP for Bukit Panjang, said having lifeguards at private pools will ensure trained people are present at emergencies.
However, Mr Francis Zhan, former president of the Association of Management Corporations In Singapore (Amcis), said having lifeguards is not viable, as pools in condominiums are not used for the greater part of the day.
Amcis is an umbrella body that brings together condominium management corporations.
He added: 'It would be affordable for each family if the estate has more than 700 units like, say, Mandarin Gardens or Maplewood.
'But if the condominium comprises fewer than 100 units, then each household has to fork out an additional $200 to $300 to pay the salaries of the lifeguards.'
A resident of Westmere in Jurong East said fewer than five people swim in his condo's pool on weekdays, and the number does not go beyond 20 at weekends.
'It would not only be boring for the lifeguard who won't stay in the job for long, but residents would feel it is a waste of their money,' he said.
He added that children are not allowed at the pool unaccompanied.
Mr Zhan suggested a more cost-effective alternative is to set up closed-circuit TV cameras at the pool, linked to the different units, so if the children go swimming, parents can monitor them on TV.
He added: 'Security guards of the condos should also be trained in life-saving skills and perhaps paid a little more as a result.'
There are currently 1,388 licences issued for swimming pools here. They include those at condominiums, clubs, hotels and public pools run by the Singapore Sports Council.
