July 27, Colombo (LNW): Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe has established a specialised committee to closely analyse the recent Supreme Court ruling concerning the MV X-Press Pearl maritime disaster, which caused extensive environmental damage off Sri Lanka’s western coast, a report by the Sunday Times disclosed.
The initiative comes in response to the court’s landmark verdict criticising the legal approach taken by the Attorney General’s Department during the initial proceedings.
Comprising two senior officers from the AG’s Department, the committee has been tasked with reviewing the full 361-page judgment and offering recommendations on the next steps.
The verdict found that the actions of the Attorney General at the time of the incident violated the fundamental rights of the petitioners, particularly in relation to the decision to pursue civil litigation in Singapore rather than in Sri Lanka’s own High Court, which holds jurisdiction over maritime affairs.
The Supreme Court described the move as arbitrary and not aligned with the country’s best interests, calling it unreasonable and irrational. As such, the newly appointed committee is expected to scrutinise the legal rationale behind the choice to litigate abroad and explore how best to execute the Supreme Court’s orders going forward.
In addition to reviewing procedural missteps, the committee will also assess mechanisms for securing the US$1 billion in compensation ordered by the court from the Singapore-based X-Press Pearl Group and its local agent.
These entities were held legally responsible for the catastrophic fire and chemical spill that resulted from the vessel’s sinking, one of the worst environmental disasters in Sri Lanka’s maritime history.
The Attorney General’s Department is under increasing pressure to act decisively, both to implement the court’s directive and to restore public confidence in its ability to protect national interests in matters of international litigation and environmental accountability.
