There is a lack of lifeguards on Italian beaches, but in Cagliari the trend is reversed: "We already have several candidates"

Even if Sardinia is at the mercy of strong cold winds these days, the summer season is still upon us.

And the owners of the Cagliari establishments are well aware of this, as this year too they will have to deal with the lack of lifeguards and seasonal workers. There is concern that the seafront turrets remain empty and research has already been underway for some time . However, if the alarm is high in the rest of Italy, the situation on the island seems to be more relaxed . «In the last 30 years we have never had any difficulties in selecting personnel. However, 2022 was really difficult», confesses Gilberto Picasso , from the D'Aquila plant .

However, this year there would be an " encouraging improvement ", given by the curricula - albeit few - that have been sent to the structures for some time. «We are receiving some applications, something is moving. Last year – continues Picasso – a similar situation was a mirage. The 2 or 3 names received don't make us sing victory but it's a positive sign . On March 18 we open the season and from April we will begin to select personnel so as not to find ourselves uncovered in the summer period but we remain positive in any case ».

And the problem underlying the lack of lifeguards would not be linked to salaries or "phantom" contracts, as one might think. «There is no shortage of patents, in Sardinia the courses are held regularly. And the salaries , even if they are not high, are around 1,500 euros a month . It is not unlikely that the basic income has exacerbated the already existing problems.

Angelo Cerina, sole administrator of the Lido, shares the same opinion: «This problem has existed for years but in the end we always manage to find a solution, we have never really found ourselves in deep water. That of lifeguards is a category with an important qualification and those who decide to take this path are people aware of the fact that theirs is a seasonal job».

And if in the rest of Italy there are many establishments that are launching the sos for a season that promises to be "uphill", the secret to facing the arrival of summer with the staff in the structure could be an "anticipated research. The situation is not that complicated and we are optimistic. We move on time and this has always rewarded us».