Cyprus is struggling to fill seasonal lifeguard posts, with the largest staffing gaps recorded in Paphos, Limassol and Larnaca. The Interior Ministry says the shortest contracts are attracting the least interest.
Short-term posts hardest to fill
Andreas Karvounis, an officer with the Interior Ministry’s Beach Safety Unit, told CNA that 377 lifeguard positions were approved this year, although some posts remain vacant each season.
Of the total, 107 lifeguards are employed permanently. The remainder work on seasonal contracts lasting three, four, six, eight or, in some cases, 11 months.
According to Karvounis, the three- and four-month positions are the most difficult to fill.
Largest gaps in three districts
All available posts in Nicosia are filled because the district requires relatively few lifeguards. Some vacancies remain in Famagusta, but the most significant shortages are in Paphos, Limassol and Larnaca.
Lifeguard working hours are not uniform. They are determined according to each beach’s visitor numbers, level of risk and available staffing.
Applicants seek greater stability
Three-month positions have traditionally been filled mainly by students or people seeking work only during the summer. However, Karvounis said such short contracts discourage applicants looking for greater employment stability.
The Interior Ministry reviews staffing needs each year based on previous figures and attempts to fill as many positions as possible.
“We are trying to see whether we can operate within a different framework, because there is clearly an issue with the three-month positions,” Karvounis said.
Source: CNA.
