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We feel that a prerequisite to indulge in present day politics is the ability to walk naked in public. Reason: Once you do that you get rid of all shame and self respect that you have and learn the art of just hanging by the rope and keep on dancing whenever the puppeteer upstairs pulls the string.
It was only on Wednesday May 26 that the newly appointed Sports Minister C.B. Ratnayake flexed his muscles by sacking the ragged cricket selection committee headed by Asantha de Mel and appointed the current team headed by Aravinda de Silva. A few anxious moments later, he chaired a news conference to introduce the new selection committee.
 Being the ruggerite he is, Ratnayake was keen to take away the honours and be the man-of-the-match. For a moment he forgot that he was hanging from a string and had to dance to the tune of the big puppeteer. He opened his mouth and made a proclamation stating that the Sri Lanka Cricket is the third most corrupt institution in Sri Lanka after the Education Department and the Police Department (a remark which later drew a sharp response from the men in uniform).
Pandora’s Box was opened and Ratnayake became the hero of the cricketing public for explaining the taste of Adam’s apple. Maybe he was being intrigued by the happenings of the previous evening where the puppeteer was busy bargaining for his blue-eyed boy and Air Force Chief Roshan Gunatilleke to take over the rugby reins. The contender in the rugby scrum was none other than businessman Asanga Seneviratne. The puppeteer asked Seneviratne to give up hopes on the rugby throne and instead was thrown the carrot of the cricket seat.
By late Sunday evening, the fourth estate learned that Asanga Seneviratne was to take over the SLC administration with his team comprising Ana Punchihewa, Sidath Wettimuny, Kushil Gunasekera and a top former cricketer. So much so, by Monday morning the ministry people were busy calling and congratulating the newcomers and awaiting their arrival. However, it must be said that even on Sunday evening it was made clear to Seneviratne that any changes to the present set up would be effected in another two to three months.
Pramodya Wickremasinghe |
However by Tuesday morning once again the clock began to turn anti-clockwise. The pre-Sunday team led by Jayantha Dharmadasa once again came to the reckoning and suddenly the scene changed once more. According to the new development, Asanga Seneviratne was to be thrust into the same team that the minister described as corrupt. Lawyer Kalinga Indratissa and Prabath Fonseka from the Ministry of Sport were also to be in the team. But these changes were to be effected after the IIFA showpiece was over.
Sensing that things were bad and they were at the receiving end interim committee members -- former Sri Lanka paceman Pramodya Wickremasinghe and Ranil Abeynaike tendered their resignations to Minister Ratnayake. The other two IC members– Gunaratne Weerasinghe and Lalith Wickremasinghe stayed put, earning the minister’s wrath.
By Tuesday afternoon, the new IC was announced with the same faces -- D. Somachandra de Silva, Nishantha Ranatunga and Sujeewa Rajapaksa at the helm as chairman, secretary and treasurer, along with Indratissa, Fonseka and Seneviratne.
Meanwhile Pramodya Wickremasinghe who resigned from the IC at the eleventh hour explained to the Sunday Times as to why he did so. He said that once he knew that there was going to be a change he wanted to quit because it had become impossible to carry on under the present circumstances.
He said it would have not been the done thing if he resigned after being reappointed, if it was to be so, and he took the decision to quit.
He said the main reason for him to quit was the way the matters were handled at the SLC. “I did not like the manner in which things were done. For about a year it was OK. Things went awry, when an outsider with the backing of the IC chairman began to interfere and dabbling with IC affairs. He even wanted to come for IC meetings. I vehemently opposed this move. But, D. S. de Silva depended on him as he did not trust the Interim Committee or respect its decisions.”
Wickremasinghe, the former Sri Lanka opening bowler, explained that things began to deteriorate fast. The ICC secretariat, which was set up to oversee 2011 World Cup preparations, took over almost all the functions including the IIFA showpiece which was supposed to be run by the SLC. “Maybe the Chairman and the Secretary were informed, but none of the other IC members were kept informed of the progress.”
Wickremasinghe said the handling of the grounds -- Hambantota, Pallekelle and the Khettarama Stadium -- had been mishandled and the board was spending three rupees for what could have been done with one rupee. “I will come out with facts and figures to back up my allegation shortly”. Wickremasinghe summed up by saying, “If we worked as a team we could have achieved many a thing, but, by bringing in outsiders the sprit was broken and the team finally failed”.
Now the question is thrown back to the honourable minister C.B. Ratnayake. Mr. Minister, we advise you from this point onwards that if you fail to speak the truth your nose will begin to grow like it happened to one of your ancestors by the name of Pinocchio.
One moment you call the SLC hierarchy corrupt and say you will not hesitate to punish them if they are found guilty. The next minute you once again make them sit at the very seats that you wanted them to vacate.Was it you who were talking all this while or was it the ghost from the top? If it is you who was talking, as a sportsman, the best thing that you can do is to follow Wickremasinghe (May be not the one in politics).
PS: I really feel for Asanga Seneviratne who lost the race. He was sent around the bend by the big puppeteer showing the beautiful sister instead of the ugly one and finally given in marriage to the grandmother. |
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