Thirty lifeguard towers are staffed by 86 lifeguards across the government-controlled Famagusta district, while seven towers at smaller beaches remain unstaffed due to low visitor numbers, according to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA).
Michalis Adamou, lifeguard supervisor at the Famagusta District Administration, told CNA that no new lifeguards joined the district this year, while two or three left.
The seven beaches, Pagida, Loukkos tou Manti and Katsarka in Ayia Napa, and Glyky Nero, Seirina, Nisia and Mima Rosa in Paralimni, receive around 10 visitors a day, although numbers increase in August and on weekends.
The starting salary for a lifeguard is €1,560 net per month, with additional pay available for overtime.
Lifeguard towers operate from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Adamou said. During the peak months of June through September, hours are extended by 90 minutes, until 6:30 p.m.
However, the extended hours do not apply to all beaches, as contracts limit six-day-a-week lifeguards to 10 hours of overtime per month. Three to four beaches with very low visitor numbers operate without the extended hours.
Adamou said lifeguard towers face a serious staffing shortage. Despite what he described as a satisfactory salary, there is limited interest in the jobs, mainly because the season lasts only around six months.
Source: Politis
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