Former SLC Interim Committee chairman Jayantha Dharmadasa came out for the first time to describe the latest ‘Tajgate’ as nonsense. He said “This is all a fabricated thing. We did nothing wrong when we processed the matter and signed it and it was very transparent”.

This came when The Sunday Times confronted him and sought his views on the cancellation of the TAJ TV deal that was to run from 2007 to 2012 (the segment which he and the CEO SLC Duleep Mendis signed).

Elaborating on the matter he further said “They have said that the whole deal was not transparent and we have not obtained the minister’s approval to sign it. The reality is that we did get the Interim Committee approval and there was no need to get the minister’s approval because the Interim Committee was given full authority on a gazette notification to take all necessary decisions for the smooth flow of the running of the organisation.

“When we took over the SLC administration, it was almost bankrupt and was in the midst of seeking a huge loan from the ICC. This was a direct result of the Nimbus TV cancellation which finally we had to put right. At the same time even the Taj TV deal was originally signed during the regime of Mohan de Silva.”
He also pointed out that as a result Sri Lanka cricket would have to go through the same repercussions once litigation is filed by Taj TV and this time it may be more. He said that until 2012 there were only two confirmed tours at that time that was against the West Indies and Pakistan and none of the other tours were confirmed.

He then added “The last West Indies tour to Sri Lanka we faced a loss of Rs.21 million while the last Pakistan tour was also a loss.” Under these circumstances if we sought open bids the SLC would have got a very raw deal, that is why we decided to move the course in a way that would help Sri Lanka cricket and not that we do not know our administration.”

When posed this question what if Taj TV seek legal action and Sri Lanka Cricket would have to once again go through a turbulent period like what they experienced after the Nimbus cancellation the Director of Sport, Ministry of Sport Sirisena Liyanagama said “Whatever steps that we have taken so far have been taken with legal advice. If a situation of that nature arises we will once again seek their assistance, but we hope that a situation of that nature would not arise”.

Duleep in a spot of bother
It is also learned that a certain section of the interim committee is seeking ways of suspending the services of SLC CEO Duleep Mendis after a charge sheet on the Taj deal. It also says that this section of the IC is to replace him with another Thomian who kept wickets for Sri Lanka under the captaincy of Duleep Mendis.

However an interim committee member who opted to stay anonymous said “It is difficult for them to take such a decision and it would need the full co-operation of the Interim Committee or a directive from the minister. I do not think the minister would issue such a directive without any good reason”.

IPL – England Quandary
The Lankan IC is also in another dicey situation after the players complained to the president about the clashing of the proposed 2009 England tour during the time of the IPL where thirteen national players are contracted. On Friday, Haroon Lorgat, the new ICC chief executive, has raised concerns over the future of international cricket given the growing financial attraction of the Indian Premier League and hinted at the need for a window for the league in the international calendar.

Learning that this England tour is out of the Future Tours Programme (FTP) and the players had signed their IPL contracts long before the England tour was agreed upon a tentative situation had arisen at the last Interim Committee meeting. They were in a quandary whether to send the next best Xl, but, soon learned that if they happen to lose any matches it will be national side that would go down in their ICC rankings. A decision on this was postponed for the next meeting.