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MV X-Press Pearl interim payment: Compensating fishing communities prioritised

10 Jul 2021

  • First instalment payments commence tomorrow  

  • Assessment of losses to fishing communities continue

By Yumiko Perera  Sri Lanka, last week, received Rs. 720 million as compensation as the first interim claim, and the lion’s share of the sum is to be distributed amongst the fishing communities that continue to face hardships owing to the disaster, The Sunday Morning learnt.   Speaking with us, Minister of Fisheries Douglas Devananda further affirmed that although the officials are still in the process of identifying the fishing communities in distress and assessing the damages that have been incurred by them, the distribution of the compensation would commence from this week onwards.  “We are currently in the process of assessing the losses they have had to face and we have to take several factors into account in order to provide compensation. Officials are in the process of determining the damages caused, and we have formulated a calculation mechanism for the same. The distribution of the compensation would begin shortly,” he noted.   Furthermore, he went on to note that the compensation would be distributed in instalments, and the distribution of the first instalment would commence from tomorrow (12).  In a press release dated 5 July, the Ministry of Justice revealed that compensating the fishing communities would be given the main priority in distributing the funds, and further discussions were underway with regard to how the funds would be distributed amongst those affected.   Attempts made by The Sunday Morning to get in touch with State Minister of Ornamental Fish, Inland Fish and Prawn Farming, Fishery Harbour Development, Multi-day Fishing Activities, and Fish Exports Kanchana Wijesekera proved futile.   Meanwhile, Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) Chairperson and Attorney-at-Law Darshani Lahandapura last week confirmed that Sri Lanka has received an interim claim of Rs. 720 million, and as per the Ministry of Justice, the sum had been deposited to the Treasury account.  Speaking with The Sunday Morning on Thursday (8), Lahandapura stated: “We have not received the full amount but we have received the first interim claim of Rs. 720 million.”  However, she further noted that the ecological damage caused by the incident is still in the process of being assessed, and as such, they have not yet made any decisions on the total sum as of yet. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on 9 July told the court that the MV X-Press Pearl’s communications data had been erased due to a technical glitch in the VTMS (Vessel Traffic Management System) database at the Colombo Port Naval Operations Room. Thereby the court directed the Government Analyst to conduct an investigation and determine whether the data had been deleted deliberately or not.  Meanwhile, seven members from the local company which represent the MV X-Press Pearl were taken into custody by the CID and granted surety bail, and are to be produced before the court.


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