Almost every year, we hear of young boys drowning.
This usually happens during the holidays, particularly in the last few days before schools reopen.
It is unfortunate that we repeatedly lose our young ones at the seas almost every year.
Certainly, as it is already known that during the holidays many young people go to the beach to have a swim, arrangements can be made to ensure that the loss of life is minimized if not totally eradicated.
It is true that there are lifeguards who are at the beaches to help protect people from drowning but it seems that that is still not stopping the incidents of drowning from occuring.
This means that more needs to be done by using different approaches to prevent people, especially the young, from losing their lives at the seas.
This needs to be done now.
One approach which could be – and should be – used in addition to providing lifeguards is to use the media – both new and traditional – to increase awareness about safety at the sea.
There should be programmes on radio and television to educate the people – parents, guardians and the children – about safety issues and what places are safe or not safe to go swimming.
Adequate and timely information about these issues, especially during the holidays and a little before schools reopen, could mean the difference between life and death.
As the primary duty of a government is to protect its citizens, it is not too much to hope that government would make arrangements to ensure that the lives of our people are protected at all times and from all dangers.
