News
Super tanker fire: Damage caused to marine environment estimated at Rs 4 billion
By Ifham Nizam
In addition to Rs. 340 million sought by the Sri Lankan government for operations undertaken by its Air Force and Navy to prevent a far greater marine catastrophe, the country will seek an estimated Rs. 4 billion for the damages caused to the marine environment.
The Insurance Company or the owners of the New Diamond Crude Oil Tanker have to pay some Rs. 4 billion as damages caused to the environment, a senior official of the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) yesterday said.
MEPA General Manager, Dr. Terney Pradeep Kumara told The Island that the process would take between one and two weeks.
He said that ship owners/insurer also had to pay Rs. 15 million for concealing information about environmental damage.
He said that Attorney General Dappula de Livera had submitted an interim claim of Rs. 340 Million to the counsel representing the owners of the stricken super tanker MT New Diamond.
According to MEPA Chairperson Darshani Lahandapura, the incident had affected marine life in Sri Lankan waters.
Laboratory tests proved there was an oil leak into the ocean, in addition to observation reports, said the MEPA Chief adding the team of experts reported the area in which the incident took place is home to turtles, Manta Rays as well as Dolphins.
“Preparing the Environment Impact Assessment report is a complex task,” said Lahandapura, noting dead marine life could possibly reach the shores of other nations.
The Government Analyst’s Department report confirmed that the oil which leaked into the ocean was the fuel used by the Crude Oil Tanker to power its engines.
According to State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne, the Coordinating Officer to the Attorney General the documented claim for costs incurred by Sri Lanka Navy, Air Force, Ports Authority, Colombo Dockyard PLC, Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) & Coast Conservation Department in providing assistance to douse and contain the fire as well as for related matters had been submitted to the MT New Diamond lawyers.
Rs. 340 Million was estimated as the expenses incurred until the 15th of September, said State Counsel Jayaratne.
The MT New Diamond tanker was transporting 270,000 metric tonnes of crude oil from the port of Meena Al Ahmadi in Kuwait to the Port of Paradip in India when a fire broke out in its engine room, killing a crew member and causing serious burn injuries to its engineer in the eastern seas of Sri Lanka on September 3, 2020.
The ship was sailing 38 nautical miles off Sangamankanda Point, Ampara when it caught fire with an explosion in a boiler in the ship’s main engine room.
The distressed oil tanker in eastern seas was manned by 23 crew members including five Greeks and 18 Philippine nationals.
It was also reported that 1,700 metric tonnes of diesel/furnace oil required for the use of the tanker were also stored onboard.
MT New Diamond is a 20-year old crude oil tanker that is 333 metres long and 60 metres wide, and sailed with a Japanese certificate. It is registered in Panama.
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
