Former secretary of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), Nishantha Ranatunga commenting on the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) report told the Sunday Times that every decision taken on expenditure on World Cup 2011 venues in Sri Lanka were sanctioned by the government while D.E.W. Gunasekara, the chairman of COPE questioned the requirement of going above the estimated expenditure during a short period of time..
These issues unearthed when comments and decisions of the COPE, headed by Minister of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms, D.E.W. Gunasekara which was disclosed on November 28 had a fair portion on SLC in the 176-page report on major issues and the problems identified there in.
“The COPE report does not say that there was corruption at SLC. It only states that the cricket board has spent more than what was estimated. But to be clear we, before and during the period of construction of the three venues, obtained the approval of the government on these expenses which were contracted by Governmental Corporations,” a confident Ranatunga said.
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| COPE questioned the need of a cricket stadium in Hambantota when Rangiri-Dambulla stadium could have been refurbished for the World Cup 2011. |
According to the COPE report, which had brought up 17 major issues and problems of SLC, it has highlighted the expenditure on cricket grounds in Hambantota (Sooriyawewa), Pallekele (Kandy) and R. Premadasa ICS (Khettarama).
“The Committee observed that the initial estimate for the construction of three playgrounds had been Rs. 3.3 billion where the total expenditure had been Rs. 7.18 billion,” the report said.
“We have not named the SLC as a corrupted institution and it’s unfair and premature to do so with so many inquiries still pending. But it’s clear that mismanagement has been at its worst at SLC. The officials, time to time, had acted with absolute irresponsibility,” Minister Gunasekara stated.
The COPE report in its other findings had questioned on the expenditure which had increased by a staggering 524 percent, compared to the calendar year 2009, on how the contract for construction of the Sooriyawewa ground was given to Sri Lanka Ports Authority and had asked as to why, without renovating the existing ground in Dambulla, the SLC decided to construct a new ground in Hambantota.
The report also had highlighted on the validity of the players’ contracts with SLC while questioning whether the national players signed agreements with the board which according to some experts hampered the performance of the team in their recent quests.
The COPE report further called on explanations on the theft of a compact disc containing account details of the World Cup 2011 and the selection criteria of the director for the event’s secretariat in Colombo. It further queried the transparency of bids on television contracts, on payments for honorary officials on a merit basis and the recruitment criteria of SLC, which according to the report had 47 staffers and a majority of them without basic qualifications.
“There are more inquiries to be conducted in due course on the SLC issue. So far I’m afraid the committee is not at all satisfied with the answers provided to us by some of the officials,” Gunasekara revealed while raising the need of making recommendations in parliament to issue a standing order on all officials who served at SLC since 2009 to be present at inquiries.
The report according to Minister Gunasekara, is yet to be completed and only an initial inquiry had been summoned. Ranatunga, highlighting some of the comments and decisions of the COPE report confirmed that SLC may have gone through administrative mishaps but denied it was bankrupt as many have labeled it.
“Earlier we lost the Twenty20 Championship to South Africa in 2007 because our stadiums were not up to International Cricket Council standards to host a world event. When we, as SLC officials then, educated the government the possibilities of income generating channels from the World Cup event, they (the government) understood the positive side of it and gave their blessings. Though we had a few cash flow setbacks the SLC was not insolvent. I can assure that all happened during that time when we had the transparency but at the same time I also agree that there could have been administrative calamities which led the SLC as a top subject of the COPE,” argued Ranatunga while the majority bare contrasting opinions.
“While the institution was in debt they had more expenditure and at one stage even obtained a huge overdraft from a bank when they had a healthy sum of money on fixed deposits. We have requested for the expenditure accounts and its breakdowns on all three World Cup stadiums and more reports on other issues. SLC is probably the only high earning institution without an action or corporate plan according to COPE’s findings,” alleged Gunasekara, adding that there are low income institutions with more efficiency.
Meanwhile the secretary to the Minister of Sport, Udaya Seneviratne who presently acts as the competent authority of SLC, till a new committee is officially appointed on January 3, 2012, revealed that the ministry has appointed a separate committee to look into the allegations aroused by the COPE.
“Some sections of the COPE report are not clear and in addition there had been contradicting reports in the media on the same issue. So the ministry will seriously probe the comments, decisions and findings of the COPE report,” Seneviratne said.
Minister Gunasekara told the Sunday Times that further inquiries will recommence in January 2012. |
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