DEAR Editor,-
So Margate is a Blue Flag beach. Great. So why do the public toilet facilities on the beach not have toilet paper, soap, etc. and why do they not get cleaned regularly?
A female friend of mine got fed up with this whilst on holiday there in December. One day when trying to get assistance from a lifeguard, none were available. So she proceeded to lower the Blue Flag and was suddenly surrounded by lifeguards asking her what she thought she was doing! Her reply was simple – You cannot be a Blue Flag beach if you can’t even keep the public toilet facilities clean and equipped. It had been her third day on the beach, so it was not a once-off occurrence.
Immediately the cleaner was called and told to sort it out. My friend followed the cleaner into the facilities, where she saw her rolling off a few sheets of toilet paper onto her hand, and then putting it on the toilet cistern? She informed the cleaner that this was not acceptable, and that a roll of paper should be put into each cubicle, which the cleaner then did, but with a very long face. So, where is the problem? Is it a) No supervision, or, b) Are the staff members taking toilet rolls and soap home to sell or use personally?
To achieve a Blue Flag status, all criteria must be met. Staff need to be supervised and those who are only there to get paid without delivering the service need to be fired.
The South Coast needs to wake up because there are a lot of beaches throughout South Africa vying for your share of the holidaymakers.
Good luck for next year when my friend is visiting again, except next time, she says, she’s burning the flag!
MASSIMO ZANETTE
