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Black marketeers exploit cricket fans
By Nalaka Nonis
Black marketeers and counterfeit ticket sellers had a ball making more winnings than either team when a sellout crowd of about 35,000 packed the Premadasa stadium for Fridays ICC Championship semi final between Australia and Sri Lanka.

The Sunday Times spoke to several people who complained they could not watch the match because they could not afford the high prices demanded by blackmarketeers.
They complained that black marketers bought tickets in advance from counters and other selling centers, at the normal price and resold them at exorbitant rates.

As the time for the much awaited match drew nearer the prices soared and by the time the first ball was bowled the going rate had zoomed to Rs. 500. Counterfeit ticket sellers followed a shrewd strategy-they produced counterfeits only of the low cost tickets and not the high cost ones.

Not only outside the stadium The Sunday Times witnessed exploitation even inside the stadium with eats and drinks being sold at double the prices. One fan complained that a plastic cup of beer was sold at Rs. 50 in the stadium, while a full bottle cost only Rs. 45 outside.

ICC Communications Manager Mark Harrison said he believed there were counterfeit tickets circulating and a few people may have entered the stadium using those tickets.

He said the ICC would not be responsible for tickets bought from outside the authorised sales centres- the BCCSL, Cargills Food City outlets or direct bookings.
A spokesman for the company which printed the high-security tickets said they had taken all precautions including watermarked paper.

Meanwhile bustling Colombo and other main cities in the country on Friday were deserted with people, leaving the daily businesses half done as people opted to leave for home very early to watch the match.

As usual Friday was virtually a half holiday for the city. Many officers were deserted in the afternoon while the crowds at super markets, Railway station and bus stands-normally at a peak on Friday evenings were significantly less.

Tough ticketing and security measures for today's final
The Cricket Board said yesterday it was taking strict ticketing and security measures to prevent any irregularity at today's ICC Champions Trophy finals between Sri Lanka and India.

"Strict measures are being taken regarding entrance to the ground for the final," a Cricket Board statement said.

"Additional security personnel have been assigned to ensure that only one person will be permitted to enter per ticket. No children will be permitted entry on their parent's tickets," it said.

The board also said that all tickets had been sold out except for the C and D public stands. Tickets for these stands would be on sale from 10 a.m., the board said.

It also said that vehicles entering with valid car passes would not be permitted to leave the ground and re-enter.

Meanwhile, a senior police officer told The Sunday Times last night that police personnel on duty at the Premadasa Stadium had been issued strict orders not to allow any unauthorised persons to enter the grounds.

Senior Superintendent D P L Dissanayake said there were complaints that certain officials including those connected with the security forces had brought in their vehicles without vehicle passes.

The security at the gates had been handled by a private security firm, but it is alleged relatives and friends of some security officers had been allowed in without tickets. This led to a situation where ticket holders were left out without seats, the SSP said.
He said he had asked the ICC to have its officials at all gates to prevent any irregularity from taking place today.

The Sunday Times learns that at a meeting held yesterday to discuss security measures, the ICC has raised concern over unauthorised persons entering the grounds without tickets or passes.

No compromise on Kotmale says CWC
By Shelani Perera
The Ceylon Workers Congress has ruled out any compromise with the government on the Upper Kotmale project and has vowed to continue its protest campaign as the issue took a further political twist.

The CWC decided to reiterate its stand and start a new protest campaign in Talawakelle from today Deputy Plantations Minister Naveen Dissanayake asked Minister Arumu-gam Thondaman to quit the cabinet if he could not agree to a collective decision taken by the cabinet to go ahead with the project.

The CWC said it was not interested in taking up what it referred to as 'cheap challenges' and would stand firm in its conviction that public interest came before principles of collective responsibility.

CWC parliamentarian R. Yogaraja told The Sunday Times that the party leader and minister Thondaman had agreed with the cabinet to go ahead with the Kotmale project after the Prime Minister said that the reservations of the CWC would be taken into consideration.

He said that as a first step of a new campaign the CWC would hold a mass protest campaign in Talawakelle today and they were expecting a crowd of more than 40,000 including environmental organisations and religious leaders.

He said the CWC would hold several more protest meetings to oppose and stop the project, while there would be no compromise.

Crackdown on provincial tax defaulters
Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Alick Aluvihare has ordered provincial and local government officials to take immediate steps to crack down on tax defaulters and recover outstanding amounts.

Some real estate dealers owed the local councils millions of rupees as taxes because they avoided getting the permission of the provincial council before they went ahead with any transaction.

Citing the Ibbagamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha as an example, the minister said it had to recover Rs. 20 million as outstanding payments from auctioneers and property developers.

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