Former MP calls for safe bathing zones after tragic drowning

Former Mayaro MP Rushton Paray is urging the Government to take immediate action to protect beachgoers following the tragic death of teenager Gabriel Nelson, whose body was recovered two days after he went missing while bathing in Mayaro.

Speaking yesterday, Paray condemned “endless talk about committees and studies” and symbolic gestures like flag-raising on weekends, calling instead for real policy, proper funding, and a clear implementation plan. He suggested starting with one or two safe bathing zones this year and expanding the programme over time, stressing the importance of training lifeguards, evaluating performance, and building public confidence.

Paray extended his condolences to the family, friends, classmates, and teachers mourning Nelson. “No parent should ever have to live through that kind of grief,” he said. “What makes it harder is that this was not some rare tragedy. It is part of a pattern we have allowed to continue for far too long.”

He noted that for over a decade, he has advocated for the creation of safe bathing zones, a concept already proven internationally. “I saw the risk with my own eyes,” Paray said, recalling discussions with residents, lifeguards, fishermen, vendors, and families who knew the sea, respected it, and yet feared it.

According to Paray, a safe bathing zone is a designated stretch of beach that is properly managed, supervised, and equipped. It includes trained lifeguards on duty, clear signage and warning flags, rescue equipment, first aid facilities, shaded areas, washrooms, secure parking, and staff responsible for safety. “In plain terms, it is a beach you can use and trust,” he said.

Paray warned that too much of T&T’s coastline is currently unmanaged. “Families pull up, children run into the water, people lime and relax, and the sea looks calm enough. Then a rip current catches someone and everything changes in seconds. Panic sets in. Somebody rushes in to help. Another person gets pulled out. Before you know it, a normal Sunday turns into a nightmare.”

He highlighted that the eastern seaboard, including Mayaro, Manzanilla, and Grand Lagoon, is particularly beautiful—and dangerous rip currents, undertows, offshore troughs, and shifting sandbars pose risks even to strong swimmers, and many drownings occur when the water appears calm.

Paray criticised relying solely on public education to prevent drownings. “Yes, people must respect the sea. Yes, parents must supervise children. Yes, swimmers must be cautious. But the State has a responsibility too,” he said. “If an area is high-risk and heavily used, you do not leave it unmanaged. You create a safe alternative and guide people into it.”

—Ralph Banwarie