Kandy Sports Club struck by ‘Yahapalanaya’
View(s):
The Sunday Times has decided to dedicate this column to its readers so that they can comment about contents in our sports columns and features and also write their own thoughts on various sports with letters to the editor.Their views however are not necessarily those of the newspaper.
Kandy Sports Club (KSC) conducted its 143rd Annual General Meeting on Sunday morning at the Club auditorium. The President, elected by the Protem Chairman- Mr Malik Devapriya Samarawickrama (MDS), was Nihal Ratwatte of 102/3, Nittawela Road, Kandy, who will continue as President from last year, who failed to come out with a 7′s team. At this Club there is an uncharacteristic system where everything happens within closed doors, with no questions raised or, any room left for contest.
However, this has gone on for a few decades. They have a motto, “We are all one, only ego’s beliefs and fear separate us”. In the good old days, people who took up office were past Rugby players with experience in managingSports activities, combined with traditions and above all, members with a sound background. But now, we guess it’s difficult to find such personalities or, they don’t wish to come forward due to reasons best known to them. As such, the General Committee is packed with people of different sorts with no Rugby background at all, hence, the administration and standards of this prestigious Club goes down memory lane. Fortunately, there are a few remaining, who continue much against their wishes, to keep this Club functioning without a collapse. If you contribute in kind, you are in the Committee.
The Central Province Rugby Football Union (CPRFU) was inaugurated in 1992 with its headquarters in Nittawela. The then President of Kandy Sports Club, the late Dr Sarath Kapuwatte, was appointed President CPRFU for some time. During his tenure and thereafter, until his demise, the facilities provided to the CPRFU was granted without any issues. In actual fact, that’s how it should be, as the Provincial Union is the sole representative of the parent body- SLRFU.
But now, the CPRFU is neither invited for their Rugby fixtures, nor granted the use of Club facilities as its headquarters. This itself is a glaring example of how unfriendly and don’t-care attitude of the present KSC administration. It must be borne in mind that, Nittawela grounds belongs to the Kandy Municipal Council (KMC), and is on a 5-year, renewable lease agreement of Rs 30.000, where it is clearly mentioned that the ground facilities should be provided to the surrounding villages and schools for their sports activities, with the consent of the Club, for a nominal levy but, the Club does not help any villages or schools, instead, charges unreasonable fees for the use of the grounds, which is unaffordable to all concerned. Besides, the Club also has failed to pay the Municipal entertainment and advertising taxes for several years, which is illegal and beyond normal ethics. Probably, the KMC is of the opinion that, the Club provides ground facilities to the villages and schools or else, why is the KMC keeping silent. If a resident doesn’t pay taxes they take them to courts, but no action against for KSC .
It’s time the KMC got its act together and recovered the taxes, and distribute these large sums of money to the deserving villages and schools or, instruct the Club to share the ground for a nominal fee for its maintenance. The Yahapalanaya Govt needs to investigate this matter with immediate effect and rectify these malpractices, to ensure that State-owned lands are equally utilised by the people, than only certain sectors taking advantage of such land, when actually, the Club is enriched by sponsors for over Rs 50 million annually. “Winning as a champion club will not bring fame at the expense of the needy”. When Ravi Karunanayake was the Finance Minister, they wrote to him for a waiver, but he had refused.
KSC are the defending League and Knockout champions. This time, the not-played Rugby President failed to present a team for the Inter-Club 7-a-side tournament. And also, there is a person who came from nowhere, became president, and is now in a position to destroy the Club’s traditions. At this Club, few unknown people became presidents, due to the pull from the back door. When they are at the top, they spend money, and after their term is over, they claim a refund saying, it was a loan. In the last two years, the Club was on a bad wicket, and MDS came forward to save them.
History- 2015/16:
10 committee members presented their resignations, President- Udaya Balasuriya, Senior Vice President- Mahes Weerasinghe, Vice Presidents- Nihal Ratwatte, M. Jiffery, Lesley de Zoysa, Sujeewa Liyanage, Shamseer Jaleel, Anuruddha Ranasinghe, Upali Silva and Arafat Abdeen. However, two of them- N. Ratwatte and Lesley de Soysa- ignored the rest and came back. N. Ratwatte took the presidency. Halfway, Udaya Blasuriya walked in as Trustee and Lawyer, M. Jiffery was brought in to do Law work. Last year, M. Weerasinghe was not given the presidency, while this time he has been brought in as Secretary, and is demanding two of his friends who resigned with him, be taken back into the committee. They are, Sujeewa Liyanage and Anuruddha Ranasighe. This is going to be done at the Special General Meeting which is to be held to clean up the accounts, which is in a mess. This is what sportsmanship is today. This is the first time that an incident like this ever happened. The two behind this are the present and the former president. Now their intention is to bring back the rest. This time they tried their utmost, but only one came in as secretary. Will KSC end up being a losing lot?
A. Ratwatte and S. Simon