The past week has been one of tragedy for two Samoan families as they have lost loved ones to drowning.

An 8-year-old girl drowned in a hotel swimming pool in Upolu and a 68-year-old woman drowned in Savai'i. Tragic as these incidents are, they have left us asking a lot of questions and the main one being the steps being taken to reduce the drowning death toll in Samoa.

Was there a lifeguard on duty at the hotel swimming pool and were the adults promptly looking after the children?

Many at times, people become complacent when we have family outings either at a resort or at the beach. The adults will have their fun and they will let the children have theirs. Many times, the adults would crowd around the cooler and the barbeque while the children are frolicking in the water.

Water safety is not a joke. In all cases where water activities are concerned, there has to be someone looking after the children or keeping an eye on them. Since there are no public beaches in Samoa, the owners of the beaches have a responsibility in providing a lifeguard.

For parents and guardians, never let children out of your sight when you are at the swimming spot. It is a general rule basically to keep an eye on the children at all times.

A life has been lost and people should be answerable. The police should start laying down the law on negligence for those who have the duty of care.

According to the Crimes Act, Section 85 is very clear that a person who as a parent or person in place of a parent is: (b) criminally responsible for omitting without lawful excuse to do so, whether the child is helpless or not, if the death of the child is caused, or if his or her life is endangered or his or her health permanently injured, by the omission.

A person is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years who, without lawful excuse, neglects the duty specified in this section so that the life of the child is endangered or his or her health permanently injured by such neglect.

While the last thing any guardian or parent wants is to feel the brunt of the law after the tragedy of losing a loved one, people need to be more responsible. 

The safety of children should not be limited to just when they are near the water.

A lot of accidents and accidental deaths can be prevented by supervision of children at all times, even around the village settings. How many times have we heard of stories of children getting hit while crossing the road or of toddlers running on to the road?

This brings us to the second point which is swimming. As an island nation in the Pacific, we are literally living next to the sea. But the sad thing is that a majority of people who are living next to the sea do not know how to swim.

There are two reasons for this. The first one is that we have moved away from traditional forms of fishing which required the young men and women to be catching fish in nets and also for some to be diving with their spears.

Even those living next to the ocean do not know how to swim and teaching children to swim is something that is not being taken seriously.

The Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture can play a very important role in ensuring that children know how to swim. Swimming should be included in the school curriculum. It will not only save lives but also provide a healthy activity.

For the schools living close to Apia, they have access to an Olympic class facility in Tuanaimato. MESC can negotiate concessionary rates which either parents or the ministry can bear for the schools so students are able to attend swimming classes.

Schools that do not have access to a swimming pool have the sea. It is a good place to teach children how to swim. In the Cook Islands, there are no public swimming pools; schools take the children to the sea for swimming classes.

Studies have reported that children between one to four years old, who had swimming lessons had an 88 per cent reduction in the risk of drowning. Of course learning to swim is only one element parents should follow to prevent drowning. This is why swimming lessons save lives, and should be started from an early age.

Drowning is still one of the most common causes of accidental death in children, so being able to swim is an essential life-saving skill. It’s important to remember that children who appear water confident are not always competent swimmers.