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Local seaman destitute sans compensation after stroke while on duty
A Sri Lankan seafarer employed as the head cook on a locally owned vessel and who suffered a stroke while on duty in late April this year, is today, semi-paralyzed and left in the doldrums, after his employer allegedly refused to pay any compensation, a maritime trade union said yesterday. “The cook- Nimal Perera from Habarakada in Tawalama, a father of two, is presently destitute and has sought our assistance to negotiate with the company and the relevant authorities, in a bid to seek fair play and justice,” National Union of Seafarers Sri Lanka (NUSS) President, Palitha Athukorale- told the Sunday Times.
Palitha Athukorale addressing the media
He said the cook suffered the stroke while working extra hours onboard the vessel- MT-LM Kelani on April 24 this year.
“On that particular day, he was called to work in order to cater for a party onboard the vessel attended by top executives and others from the company that owned the vessel.”
“The cook’s present predicament could have been avoided, if those onboard the vessel at the time the victim suffered the stroke, had taken prompt action to remove the man to the nearest hospital.”
“But this was not the case, even though there is an ambulance ‘on call’ round-the-clock within the Colombo Port. The incident took place at around 10.30 pm, but the man was removed to hospital only around 6.a.m. the following day,” Mr. Athukorale said.
“I made several gestures to the men onboard, that included several officers, to remove me to hospital, but they ignored my plight. Apparently, they did not know the seriousness of the matter, as most of them were intoxicated, and they provided me with just two panadols,” Mr Perera said.“Since the incident, my employer- Sea Horse Shipping – had only provided 15 weeks of wages and ignored the medical bills, and it is in sheer desperation that I sought the assistance of the NUSS,” he added.
Ranjan Perera of the International Transport workers Federation (ITF) which is handling Perera’s case at the moment, said that the victim’s employer had violated maritime regulation by refusing to pay proper compensation.
He added that, even the Ministry of Ports and Highways had sent an official note to the ship owner to abide by the regulations and pay the required compensation, but this has not been done as yet. Manjula Tillekeratne of Sea Horse Shipping told the Sunday Times that the issue was of a complicated nature and he could not make any comment, adding that the note from the Ports Ministry was a big mistake.
B.S.K.S. Rathna Barathi who sent the note on behalf of the Ports Ministry, refused to comment on the matter, saying the decision was taken by his seniors. Meanwhile, a London-based group has stepped in to provide limited assistance to the families of seafarers presently held by Somali pirates for the past three years.
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