By Roy Denish.
Dr. Ajantha Perera seeks a CIABOC probe into X-Press Pearl compensation payments, questioning transparency and the handling of funds.
Environmental activist and Supreme Court petitioner Dr. Ajantha Perera has raised concerns over the financial fallout from the MV X-Press Pearl disaster, questioning how compensation funds related to the maritime catastrophe have been handled.
Speaking to The Daily Morning, Dr. Perera raised concerns over the Marine Environment Protection Authority’s (MEPA) alleged handling of payments involving the shipping company and its insurer, the P&I Club. She stressed that, under the court ruling, all compensation funds are required to be channelled through the Treasury.
Dr. Perera’s concerns centre on what she describes as missing funds, direct financial dealings and a lack of transparency. After seeking a detailed financial breakdown from the Treasury Secretary, she said she was referred to the Ministry of Justice.
According to legal sources cited in the report, only around Rs. 300 million has so far been received by the Treasury, prompting Dr. Perera to question what she described as unnecessary secrecy surrounding the handling of the compensation.
She further alleged that MEPA departed from standard operating procedures by approaching the shipping company directly for funds while legal proceedings were ongoing. These reportedly included funds intended for the removal of plastic pellets and other clean-up operations, as well as compensation associated with fishermen affected by the disaster.
Dr. Perera has since filed a formal complaint with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), calling for a comprehensive investigation into how the relevant state institutions handled the funds.
Attempts by reporters to obtain comments from MEPA and Deputy Fisheries Minister Rathna Gamage were unsuccessful.
The latest complaint follows an earlier submission by Dr. Perera to CIABOC concerning an alleged closed-door meeting involving officials and representatives of the insurers. The President’s Media Division has previously denied allegations surrounding that meeting.
The MV X-Press Pearl caught fire off the coast of Colombo in May 2021 before eventually sinking. The disaster released large quantities of hazardous materials and plastic nurdles into Sri Lankan waters and along its coastline, causing extensive environmental damage and severely affecting coastal communities.
The incident has since been widely regarded as one of the most serious marine environmental disasters in Sri Lanka’s history.
