Thursday Compensation on 3 JUNE 2021 Fishermen’S Behalf by Sawani Seshadi
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‘X-Press Pearl’ fiasco Cardinal to demand THURSDAY compensation on 3 JUNE 2021 fishermen’s behalf BY SAWANI SESHADI Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, said he would be spearheading the struggle E-PAPER to institute legal action against the local agents of the MV X-Press Pearl container ship, which caught fire recently, preventing fishermen from earning their livelihoods. He also urged all fishermen to join hands with him to demand compensation from the local agents, as the fire had prevented fishermen from going out to sea. The Cardinal said he cannot allow lies and fabrications to be circulated in the country. He said what the country needs is not a leader that panders to Western interests while being enmeshed in foreign conspiracies, but a transparent leader that looks after the interests of the people of Travel X-Press Pearl this country. The Cardinal charged that the entire vaccination programme had also been politicised by the Government and it has to approach other countries sinks after with a begging bowl, being unable to purchase even the basic vaccines to curb the spread of the virus. The Cardinal urged the Government not to get into Restrictions the habit of selling State assets to fill its barren 11-day firefight coffers, but to use the resources for the good of the people and the Nation. He also implored the Government to swiftly Massive oil spill could institute legal action against the perpetrators of the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks without devastate coasts dillydallying. Extended The Cardinal said the new AG has a responsibility to bring those behind the Easter carnage to book Environmental report will and advised the Government to abstain from putting on Media shows to dupe the masses. take months – MEPA Till 14 June BY SULOCHANA RAMIAH MOHAN BY DILANTHI JAYAMANNE requests for a 21-day uninterrupted The Singapore-flagged X-Press Pearl, which caught fire on 20 For vehicles entering Colombo restriction cycle to control virus May, sank yesterday (2) 9.5km off Colombo Harbour, raising Countrywide travel restrictions, spread. concerns not only of an imminent massive oil spill that could imposed due to COVID-19 pandemic, The islandwide travel restriction was devastate the ocean, marine life and the coastal environment, but Police adopt have been further extended till 4:00 imposed from 21 May to 28 May, with also whether it could block other ships entering the Port of a.m. on 14 June 2021, Head of the a 17-hour relaxation on 25 May. Colombo as the vessel had sunk in the Port’s anchorage. National Operation Centre for However, this period has been twice In an official statement, the ship’s operators, X-Press Feeders, sticker system Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak extended since. expressed regret that efforts to move the ship to deep water failed (NOCPCO), General Shavendra Silva The daily COVID-19 detections have despite salvors successfully boarding the vessel and attaching a BY TRESHAN FERNANDO said. continued to top 2,000 within the past tow line. The ship’s aft touched the sea floor at a depth of 21 He noted the decision had been number of weeks while the COVID-19 metres yesterday. A special sticker system was introduced yesterday taken following discussions, after deaths toll has fluctuated between 20 The ship sank as the Government was preparing to sue X-Press (2), for vehicles entering Colombo, to prevent vehicles health experts had made repeated and 40 within the same period. Feeders of criminal charges under Sri Lanka’s Marine Pollution from having to undergo multiple inspections Prevention Act of 2008, and civil claims made subsequently as a conducted by Police. penalty for the pollution caused. Police Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said once The marine experts including the Sri Lankan Navy had tried to Police have inspected a vehicle and confirmed the tow the burnt ship towards deep sea yesterday afternoon in a bid validity of the documents produced by the travellers, to avoid a possible oil slick but aborted the plan as the ship began they will paste a sticker on the vehicle. to sink around 3 pm. The sticker will be valid only for a single day, DIG Despite marine experts trying tirelessly to douse the fire for 11 Rohana noted. This method would ensure that once a consecutive days, the ship sank after water gathered in the aft. vehicle is inspected by Police, it need not be inspected The 186-metre-long cargo ship sank to a depth of 21m off again. Colombo Harbour. According to reports, the ship stuck hitting DIG Rohana said this method is being implemented the bottom of the anchorage. by Police as complaints had been received by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority Chairman (SLPA) Gen. Daya public that they were getting delayed as they were Ratnayake claimed that the ship could not be brought under stopped by Police on numerous occasions. control due to cyclonic weather for 39 hours between 24-25 May The stickers would be pasted at entry points to and even the cranes at the Jaya Container Terminal were unable Colombo, at places such as Peliyagoda, Wattala, to operate. “The terminal that could handle 20,000 TEUs could Mount Lavinia, Nugegoda, Wellampitiya. handle only 200 TEUs during that time.” DIG Rohana added that those who provide false However, SLPA says that the disaster at the anchorage will not details will not obtain this sticker and he requested hinder other cargo ships from entering the port. the public to lend their support and cooperate with As of 3 pm yesterday, the foreword area of the vessel remained Police in order to ensure this method is successful. afloat with smoke coming out of cargo holds No 1 and 2. The Govt failed to ensure ship vessel had 322 tonnes of fuel on board when it sank. The X-Press Pearl sailed to the Port of Colombo from Port Hazira, India on the night of 19 May and was expected to enter complied with Int’l laws – JVP CICT terminal on 24 May but caught fire at the Colombo BY TRESHAN FERNANDO these ships follow the law, he asserted. anchorage. Additionally, the Government has still The vessel carried a total of 1,486 shipping containers among Even if the ill-fated MV X-Press Pearl not revealed the exact contents of the which some contained dangerous cargo such as solid caustic did not reveal the goods it was carrying ship to the public, even after several soda, 25 tonnes of nitric acid, sodium methoxide solution, before reaching Sri Lankan waters, the days, charged Vijitha Herath. cosmetics, methanol, vinyl acetate inhabited and micro plastic responsibility still lies with the Substances such as Nitric acid and pebbles. The ship’s local agent is Sea Consortium Lanka Pvt Ltd. Government for failing to ensure that Mercury can have drastic effects on The ship’s seaworthiness has been questioned as it left the the ship complies with international marine life, claimed Herath. He said Indian port sailing with a chemical leak that was not attended to. laws, claimed JVP Propaganda that when importing fish, many It was reported the ship captain had promptly informed Qatari Secretary Vijitha Herath. European countries inspect the level of and Indian ports but they failed to allow the ship to unload the Expressing his views at a press mercury in the fish, as it is a poisonous cargo in question. conference yesterday (2), he stated the substance. Therefore, he worried that The Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) said they ship has caused significant damage to this may cause issues when it comes to are ready to combat the oil leak as of now but don’t know where marine life and caused great distress to exporting Sri Lankan fish. the damage is. “MEPA, SLPA and Mercantile Shipping are fishermen in the island. Herath also said that fishermen in working on assessing the damage caused to the environment but Now, the Government is attempting Negombo are finding it difficult to sell the report would take several months as it’s not an easy task,” a Attending party at five-star hotel to move the ship further out to sea and their fish as people are afraid it may MEPA official told Ceylon Today. it is too late, Herath said and argued contain poisonous substances. He Expert on International Law, Law of the Sea, and Maritime Law that the ship should have been stopped urged the Government to conduct a Dr. Dan Malika Gunasekera said that towing the badly damaged, Thirteen from entering Sri Lankan waters. scientific analysis of the fish and show delicate ship was a colossal mistake and it should have been He noted there are certain the public the truth regarding the carried out after pumping out the massive amounts of oil from international rules that state a ship safety of the fish. the charred ship. XPress Feeders also confirmed that salvors enlarged on bail entering a zone must declare its The Government’s solution to this reported no visible flames aboard the vessel, though smoke was BY HANSI NANAYAKKARA contents and staff details. If a similar entire problem is to provide Rs 5,000 to still seen coming out of the cargo sporadically before the ship disaster occurs in the future, the fisherman affected by the fire. However, sank. Thirteen individuals who were arrested for Government can use the same excuse the impacts of this can have long An inspection team was able to board the vessel on the attending the party hosted by Chandimal then as well, Herath pointed out.