The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Resource Sustainability focused its attention on the progress of distributing compensation received in relation to the damage caused by the X-Press Pearl vessel, including payments made to fishermen and expenditures on coastal conservation, according to a statement issued by parliament yesterday (13).

Accordingly, the Committee recommended that a comprehensive report be submitted detailing the total amount of compensation received to date, the amount paid as compensation to fishermen, the amount spent on coastal protection activities, and the balance of funds remaining at present.

This matter was taken up when the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Agriculture, and Resource Sustainability met in Parliament on 8th January 2026, under the chairmanship of Member of Parliament Hector Appuhamy.

During the meeting, the Committee also inquired into the progress of legal proceedings instituted in Sri Lanka and Singapore in relation to the damage caused by the vessel. Discussions were held on the manner in which legal action was initiated in Singapore, independently of the legal proceedings undertaken in Sri Lanka.

The Chairman of the Committee emphasised the need to organise a programme to brief all Members of Parliament on developments related to this matter in the future.

Consultant Editor/Defence columnist of The Sunday Times Iqbal Athas passed away yesterday at the age of 81. His remains were placed at No. 11/C, Siriwardena Road, Hill Street, Dehiwala, from 9.00 am, for the general public to pay their final respects, and the final rites were held at the Dehiwela Grand Mosque Burial Grounds at 3.00pm.

Widely regarded as a leading columnist on military and political affairs, Athas earned international recognition for his incisive reporting. Athas received several prestigious international awards during his career. In 1994, he was honoured with the International Press Freedom Award by the Committee to Protect Journalists.

In 2007, he was awarded the Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award for his contribution to CNN’s coverage of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

importance of no-faith motion against PM

Former Foreign Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris has played down the importance of forming political alliances, new political parties and even moving a no-faith motion against Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

The internationally reputed ex-Law Professor said that all should a reach consensus on a common strategy while protecting their own identity. Prof. Peiris said so addressing the Kandy-based media on Monday (12) after meeting the chief incumbent of Malwathu Maha Viharaya the Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera.

Prof. Peiris was accompanied by former Minister Udaya Gammanpila, leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) and ex-Minister Prasanna Ranatunga and lawmaker Sanjeewa Edirimanna.. They represented Mahajana Handa, an Opposition grouping that held its inaugural protest meeting against the NPP government in late November last year. Mahajana Handa made Monday’s intervention in the wake of PM Amarasuriya making representations to the Mahanayakes last week.

Prof. Peiris stressed that the proposed no-confidence motion was not the solution for the issue at hand. He made their position clear as the Illankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) declared that it wouldn’t support the no-confidence motion against Premier Amarasuriya over education reforms, in the backdrop of raging controversy over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module.

During the meeting with the Mahanayake Thera, PHU leader Gammanpila requested that the Buddhist clergy intervene in the ongoing and growing dispute over the proposed education reforms. The ex-lawmaker urged the Mahanayake to advice the government to bring in education reforms in consultation with all stakeholders.

Prof. Peiris told the media that they acknowledged the need for reforms in the education sector, However, such an exercise couldn’t be implemented hastily and required consultations among all stakeholders if the government genuinely expected cooperation and support of other interested parties.

Instead of seeking consensus with other interested parties, the government resorted to undemocratic means to suppress the growing dissent, Prof. Peiris said. The one time top academic pointed out that the proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Act (PSTA) was meant to silence the Opposition and the media. If adopted, the new law would deliver a devastating blow to media freedom, the former Minister said, alleging that the government intended to suppress the public right to information. Prof. Peiris said that media freedom was not a privilege but a public right. The NPP couldn’t deprive the public of that right, he said.

The NPP government has proposed PSTA to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

The former Minister emphasised the current need was for a common stand against the government. He revealed that the Mahanayake Thera promised to take into consideration the developments and initiate suitable measures in respect of education reforms.

Opposition sources said that political parties haven’t been able to reach a consensus on a common strategy against the government. Sources said that the National Freedom Front (NFF) protest campaign launched against PM Amarasuriya, opposite the Education Ministry at Isurupaya, Battaramulla, took them by surprise. Sources said that the main Opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), has launched a campaign of its own against proposed education reforms by joining hands with Dilith Jayaweera’s Sarvajana Balaya while the SLPP, too, engaged in a separate campaign.

By Shamindra Ferdinando