News
AG tells state officials to take stock of everything related to oil super tanker fire
Attorney General Dappula de Livera yesterday held a three-hour discussion with Navy Commander Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne, Chairman of the SLPA, Gen. (retd.) Daya Ratnayake, Chairperson of Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA), Dharshani Lahandapura and Director General of Merchant Shipping Secretariat, A.W. Seneviratne on the New Diamond Oil Tanker that caught fire 40 nautical miles off Sri Lanka’s southeastern coast, State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne, the Coordinating Officer to the Attorney General said.
The Attorney General instructed the officials to evaluate the current status of the losses and the expenses that the government had incurred due to the incident. The relevant parties were also instructed to report the government’s losses and the expenses.
Livera also instructed the Chairperson of Marine Environment Protection Authority to send a team to the site, observe the pollution created by the incident and find out if marine pollution had taken place.
The Attorney General told those officials that foreign teams that would come to Sri Lanka over the matter had to be brought in following COVId-19 guidelines.
He also instructed the officials to see where the ship was, stability and the damage caused by the incident and future damages that could happen to the stricken vessel. They were also asked to see if there was a probability of an oil spill and evaluate the potential damage to the environment. They were also asked to prepare emergency measures if such an eventuality occurred.
Earlier the Merchant Shipping Secretariat and MEPA sought the AG’s advice on the arrest of the captain and crew members of the oil tanker.
By Akitha Perera
Discussions between the SJB and the UNP on forming a united front for the upcoming general election had collapsed due to the actions of a senior UNP member, SJB Chairman Imthiaz Bakeer Markar. said.
Markar told The Island that initial talks between the two parties had been progressing smoothly until the intervention of a prominent UNP figure.
The early negotiations were headed by SJB General Secretary Ranjith Maddumabandara and UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene. “At one point, I thought the alliance was almost finalised. However, the involvement of the senior UNP member completely derailed the discussions,” Markar said.
The SJB proposed that Wijewardene assume the UNP leadership and Ranil Wickremesinghe be appointed a senior leader. “Wickremesinghe was opposed to this arrangement,” Markar added.
Former Governor Navin Dissanayake revealed on 27 September that MPs who had supported Wickremesinghe in the presidential election had decided to back SJB leader Sajith Premadasa as the prime ministerial candidate.
“At that stage, we thought we were close to an agreement. However, during last few days, the talks have deteriorated, and it now seems unlikely that we will contest the election together,” Markar said.
Nominations for the general election begins today (04) at 22 district election offices across the country with submissions being accepted until noon on 11 October.
By Rathindra Kuruwita
There are between 15,000 and 30,000 street children in the country, according to the last study on the subject, Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, Chairman of the Professional Forum of Physicians on Medical and Civil Rights, has said.
Speaking at a press conference in Colombo, on Thursday, he said the majority of those children tended to gather near places of worship and large business areas.
Dr. Sanjeewa expressed concern over the vulnerability of the street children, noting that they were often subjected to abuse and easily drawn into transporting narcotics. A significant number also ended up working as sex workers or beggars. He highlighted that many female child sex workers became underage mothers.
Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar will pay an official visit to Sri Lanka today and meet the Sri Lankan leadership.
A communique issued by the External Affairs Ministry of India said that in keeping with India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and SAGAR outlook, the visit underlines the shared commitment of the two countries to further deepen the longstanding partnership for mutual benefit.
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