Major row over grounds between Isipathana and Havelocks
View(s):A major row is brewing between Isipathana College and Havelocks Sports Club on the use of the grounds by the school during the upcoming Schools Rugby Season. Isipathana had requested the grounds to play their match against CWW Kannangara MV on March 21 but the ground was not given and they have arranged to play this match at CR and FC. Subsequently they booked the Havelock Park for their match against Wesley to be played on March 28.
Havelock Park has been Isipathana’s virtual home turf for many years - File pic
The school has been suddenly informed that the booking is cancelled as the grounds have been given for a musical show. It has now come to light that the receipt dated February 25 for the advance paid for the ground has been issued by Nation Lanka Promotions Limited and not Havelock’s Sports Club.
Sources close to rugby at the school claim that the local authorities in allowing the club a lease of the ground has made conditions which require that Isipathana be given first preference to the ground if the club does not have a match and then preference should be to Lumbini Vidyalaya. Both Isipathana and Lumbini, two schools sans playgrounds, are located in the vicinity of Havelock Park, which has been their home venue for many years.
They also claim that conditions include that no third party can do a project such as construction without the Municipality, the club and the third person being a party to the agreement. It has now transpired that Nation Lanka Promotions are managers of the building and the ground as it is speculated that they have invested in this project but has not reached an agreement with the local authority. It is this company that has accepted as well as rejected the use of the grounds by the school for their match.
Nation Lanka Promotions Limited is associated to Nation Lanka Finance and Nation Lanka Equities Limited. According to the information published in the Colombo Stock Exchange the Board of Directors of Nation Lanka Finance includes Senaviratne A.C. (Non Executive Director). A person by similar name is also is the President of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union and sources close to the school claim that it is the same person that is on both places as well as being chairman of Nation Lanka Equities Limited as stated in their website. Old boys of the school wonder how this institution decides to not allow the use of the ground to a school that is synonymous with rugby and a leading contributor to the game. The right to use the ground is demanded under the conditions to the agreement the club has signed with the local authority.
The Sunday Times understands that the agreement for the investment and the management of the ground was signed between the company and the club during the time Tyronne Coonghe was President. Sources of the club confirmed that the reason for Roshan Deen having to quit and hand over the centenary year celebrations was because of the pressure brought on the club by the company as Deen and his committee wanted to keep some aspects of the club within its proud history.
According to reliable sources Isipathana, who has a long following of rugby supporters is not expected to be forced into submission and are ready for a showdown on March 28, if they are not provided with the ground. The school authorities are of the belief that saner counsel will prevail and the use of the grounds will be confirmed in keeping with the requirements and the need of rugby. Meanwhile it is understood that the Treasurer of Colombo Municipal Council has called for the club officials for a meeting to clarify issues and members wonder whether the club will become a victim and face a situation like that of CH&FC and be cornered out of rugby in their centenary year.