Sailors Of Doomed Ship Demand Rs. 220m Wages
Doomed ship MV Thermopylae Sierra
By Indika Sri Aravinda
The forty-odd sailors of the ill-fated MV Thermopylae Sierra of Thesarco Shipping Company have decided to file action in Colombo High Court against the Director Merchant Shipping demanding back wages amounting to over Rs. 220 million.
The Lankan crew of the ship, which sank off Angulana, includes the Captain, engineers, welders and ordinary seamen.
The owning company of the ship had not made any efforts to pay their salaries or allowances for the last three years.
Meanwhile, an insurance company has decided to file action against the Director of Merchant Shipping at a London court demanding US$ 450 million for the 24,000 tons of machinery and steel which were in the ship. Accordingly, summons would be issued on the Lankan official to appear before court.
Marshal Ajith Seneviratne, Director General of Merchant Shipping said that instruction from the Attorney General’s Department would be sought on all those issues.
Never ending issues in SL this is mainly due to Ministers who are appointed without any knowledge nor proper educational background.
Unfortunately our election laws do not stipulate any qualification what so ever to contest at an parliamentary election. Therefore drug pedlars,goons,gangsters, womanizers, whores, priests, Gentleman,ladies & even insane persons can contest, win & enter Parliament as Honorable member! These lousy characters never ever become honorable but terrible. They do not care a tuppence whether a ship or plane sinks, for they spend public money & are never held responsible & punished! Worst are the public servants who live under their tables. Every person responsible in any way to this ships plight, should be punished severely. Wait & see who is going to cough out these claims.