Rs. 293 mn X-Press Pearl compensation yet to be disbursed

Colombo, September 1 (Daily Mirror) - A Parliamentary committee has revealed that some Rs. 293 million X-Press Pearl compensation which was received for the fisheries sector has not been distributed yet.

This was revealed during the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Resource Sustainability held in Parliament recently.

The Committee expressed its displeasure over the fact that this amount has not yet been distributed among fishermen. 

Officials explained that funds have not been distributed as certain fishermen have migrated overseas or the intended beneficiaries have not presented themselves to claim the compensation, and that these amounts would be disbursed in the future.

During the meeting, inquiries were also made into the progress of legal proceedings filed in both Singapore and Sri Lanka in relation to the damage caused by the ship. 

Attention was also drawn to the case filed against Sri Lanka by the ship's owners in the UK.