Editorial

Summer is for swimming, among other things. Those who indulge in this recreation should not be subjected to dangers that do not lurk below the surface but above it.

They should not court death when all they wish to do is to soak life. This simple reflection becomes more and more relevant in the context of a growing population of boat owners and the dangers this breeds unless well regulated and responsible for any infringement of the law.

Rather like car owners, the number of boat owners has increased dramatically from something like 5,000 in 1996 to 15,000 today. Over the past 12 months alone, 500 new boats were registered. Both the leap in quantity and, from what one sees, in quality over the past decade makes for impressive figures. What was once considered a luxury is slowly beginning to lose this status, even if one concedes that there are boats and boats - as there are humble cars and cars that provide a status symbol for those who take these things seriously. The radical transformation that has taken place in personal leisure, furthermore, justifies further expenditure on the establishment of more yacht marinas for us and for guests.

The massive price of fuel no doubt sees to it that our massive armada does not leave its moorings every day, but still, the sheer size of it demands, and is receiving, the scrutiny and discipline of the Malta Maritime Authority. Its chairman, Marc Bonello, has just launched the 11th edition of its Safety At Sea Campaign and let it be known that accidents involving craft averaged one a week last year.

This is not a large figure but taking into consideration that for the most part these accidents take place over a period far shorter than a year, mainly during the summer months, it is one that should not be treated lightly. Dr Bonello did not detail out their seriousness or otherwise.

For those who do not own a boat and for whom summer leisure means, among other activities, swimming in one of Malta's many bays, safety at sea is regarded in the main as safety from power boats or from any form of water skiing. In this respect, jet skis remain a major problem. The answer to the risk that arises from imprudent jet skiers, or imprudent boat owners in general, ought to be simple enough: confiscation. This will quickly knock the fizz out of those show-offs who endanger the lives of other.

It is both surprising that licences are only required by owners of boats that exceed 100 horsepower but also commendable that this dangerous anomaly is being dealt with. A boat with a lower horsepower can still kill and its owner should not be at sea any more than an unlicensed car owner should be allowed on the road.

Mercifully, swimmers' zones, which now number 25, lessen the dangers that are inherent when such zones did not exist and when, therefore, there was no delineation to mark these areas out for the safety of swimmers and as a caution for boat owners to indicate the inaccessibility of these spaces for any seacraft. Swimming is for pleasure not for death.

Policing these swimming zones does present a problem, although this is not insoluble. What is needed is a system whereby wardens on beaches can connect with the police administrative law enforcement unit on the emergency number to report any craft that is posing a threat to itself or to others.Park and Ride scheme