News
Damages caused by burning vessel estimated to be running to billions of dollars
By Ifham Nizam
The environmental damage to marine fauna and flora, caused by the fire-stricken X-Press Pearl, would amount to billions of US dollars, scientists attached to the National Aquatic Resources Agency (NARA) and Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) said yesterday.
They said that they were discussing how much to seek as compensation.
Ministers Mahinda Amaraweera, Nalaka Godahewa and Lasantha Alagiyawanna yesterday visited the site to look into the environmental damage caused by chemicals and other contaminants released from the burning ship.
Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said steps were being taken to recover the damage.
Secretary to the Ministry Dr. Anil Jasinghe also accompanied the Minister.
Urban Development, Coast Conservation, Waste Disposal, and Community Cleanliness, State Minister, Dr. Nalaka Godahewa said the ill-fated ship had been on route to Singapore passing Colombo when the accident happened and gale winds contributed to the spread of the disastrous fire.
He said the cyclonic conditions in the Bay of Bengal coupled with the monsoon weather made t harder to contain the fire in time.
The State Minister also refuted reports that the MV X-Press Pearl had been denied entry into the ports in India and Qatar.
He said Sri Lanka had not been informed by anyone about any fire aboard the vessel and the matter needed to be investigated.
More than 300 Army personnel of the Quick Reaction Team, Drone Unit of the Artillery Regiment and the Bomb Disposal Squad were positioned yesterday along Negombo to Porutota coastal belt, in an attempt to prevent people from collecting hazardous debris still continuing to be washed ashore from the burning ship.
MEPA has also lodged a complaint with the Colombo harbour police to take legal action against the Captain of the MV X-Press Pearl and its parent company over the environmental damage.
Meanwhile, a team from the Netherlands has been detailed to inspect the ‘X-Press Pearl’ vessel. Shipping Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena said a six-member Dutch team had been to the site of the burning vessel on a tug boat.
A fire erupted in the cargo vessel ‘X-Press Pearl’ carrying Nitric Acid and other chemicals on May 20.
It was in anchorage about 9.5 nautical miles northwest of Colombo harbour at the time of the incident. The vessel had reached the location on May 19 before its entry into the harbour.
The vessel, registered under the Singapore flag, had with it 1,486 containers including 25 tonnes of Nitric Acid, several other chemicals, and cosmetics from the port of Hazira, India.
India, responding to an emergency request by Sri Lanka Navy, has deployed multiple assets – Vessels Vaibhav, Vajra, and Samudra Prehari by Indian Coast Guard and Tug Water Lilly by Director General, Shipping to douse the fire on MV ‘X-Press Pearl.’ In addition, Dornier aircraft was deployed for aerial reconnaissance.
The distressed container ship was manned by a crew of 25, who are Philippine, Chinese, Indian, and Russian nationals.
Sri Lanka Navy on Tuesday managed to rescue all crew members from the burning vessel. Two injured Indian nationals among them were admitted to National Hospital in Colombo for treatment. Reports revealed that one of the two injured crew members tested positive for COVID-19.
The MEPA said eight cargo containers had fallen into the sea and added that debris such as plastics and some food items had been washed to the beaches of Negombo, Ja-Ela, Kepumgoda, Seththappaduwa, Pamunugama, Kochchikade, and Dungalpitiya areas.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
