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SLC funds amounting to Rs 29 mn in US bank: SLC caught lying before COPE
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) Prof. Charitha Herath yesterday (9) said that the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) had taken contradictory positions in respect of Rs. 29 mn deposited in an account belonging to an American identified as Diamond Channel.
SLPP National List lawmaker Prof. Herath made the revelation when The Island raised the simmering controversy over unbridled corrupt practices in respect of SLC operations over the years. The former Media Ministry Secretary pointed out that the SLC took up vastly different positions on the money transfer before the previous COPE, chaired by JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti, on Feb 20, 2020 and subsequently on Feb 11, 2021 and April 06, 2021.
Obviously, the possibility of a deliberate bid to deceive the parliamentary watchdog committee couldn’t be ruled out, the MP said.
Prof. Herath declared that the SLC lacked even the basic financial discipline expected of such a high-profile institution. How could the SLC deposit funds received as the third installment in broadcasting revenue due to it from the Sri Lanka-South Africa 2018 series in an American’s account? lawmaker Herath asked. Their finances had been run in such a shoddy manner, anyone of those in key positions could have moved funds anywhere with impunity, the first-time entrant to the parliament said, in response to another query.
The Island Sports yesterday reported that an abortive bid had been made by the SLC to deceive the Sony Company to transfer USD 5.5 to an offshore account in Hongkong.
According to records available with the COPE, initially the SLC’s Legal Officer Chalaka Silva had categorized the relevant agreement with the Sony Company for television broadcasting rights as a contract for radio broadcasting. When the then COPE Chairman Handunnetti pointed out what he asserted was a deliberate move to mislead the parliament, the Legal Officer promptly apologized. The Legal Officer also said that the SLC’s head of finance usually provided the relevant party – in this case Sony of the required bank details.
Asked whether the parliamentary committee received a plausible response when the top SLC administration was summoned by the COPE on April 6, 2021, Prof. Herath said the body seemed to be in chaos in the wake of continuing investigations into what he called unspeakable financial impropriety
The meeting called to examine the Auditor General’s 2017-2018 report on the SLC and its current status were lawmakers, Mahinda Amaraweera, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, D.V. Chanaka, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Eran Wickremaratne, S.M. Marikkar, Nalin Bandara, Premanath C. Dolawatte and S. Rasamanikkam.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ashley de Silva assured the COPE that the matter was under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Prof. Herath said that it couldn’t be such a difficult task for the CID to ascertain the relationship between the SLC and the person who received the money.
The agreement with the Sony Company signed in July 2015 specified all details, including the account number of the Bank of Ceylon account maintained by the SLC. Prof. Herath noted Ashley de Silva had signed the contract on SLC’s behalf.
The Communication Department of the Parliament quoted Prof. Herath as having instructed Sports Ministry Secretary Anuradha Wijekoon to conduct an inquiry into this matter and submit a report within three months to the COPE.
Prof. Herath acknowledged that in spite of periodic examinations of SLC finances by the parliamentary watchdog committee, the country’s most influential sporting authority had managed to escape any penalty. That was the undeniable truth, the lawmaker said, adding that the SLC’s rash explanation as regards the hiring of Chandika Hathurusingha as the country’s head coach in Dec 2017 was similar to that of plot in a detective story. Referring to the explanation given by CEO Ashley de Silva, who had played three Tests and four ODI in 80-90s for the country, Prof. Herath said that the relevant agreement had been finalized by two outsiders, namely Hathurusingha, one of the parties to the agreement and a lawyer named Kaushalya. The SLC took up the position the agreement was prepared in secret as Hathurusingha insisted he wouldn’t go ahead with the contract if it was revealed under any circumstances. Prof. Heath said that the whole exercise seemed to be something out of a detective story.
The then Sports Minister Harin Fernando called for Hathurusingha’s removal in the wake of Sri Lanka’s poor performance at the sixth ICC World Cup in 2019. Hathurusinghe sued the SLC over the premature termination of his contract. The COPE was told the role played by the then President of the Board of Control of Cricket Tilanga Sumathipala and Vice President K. Mathivanan, who quit the post in July 2020 following a spat with other board members.
Prof. Herath has told the COPE meeting on April 6 if the court case in respect of Hathurusingha’s removal went against the SLC, in terms of the contract, the latter would have to pay the former coach Rs 100 mn, in addition to legal fees amounting to Rs 30 mn so far incurred. Prof. Herath pointed out that the SLC was paying a heavy price for negotiating a contract under mysterious circumstances.
Sports Ministry Secretary Wijekoon declared before COPE that he was not satisfied with the way the SLC managed its finances. Wijekoon revealed various persons had received monthly payments ranging from Rs 200,000 to 600,000 under questionable circumstances.
In spite of changes to the top management team, CEO Ashley de Silva has remained at the helm for 13 years. During the tenure of Tilanga Sumathipala as the President of the Board of Control of Cricket the CEO received an unprecedented salary increase, well informed sources told The Island. Shammi Silva succeeded Sumathipala in Feb 2019.
Prof. Herath said that some former members of the SLC executive committee were not allowed to participate at the April 6 meeting though they arrived at the parliament.
Prof. Herath said that those responsible had allowed the deterioration. The failure on the part of the Director General of Sports and the absence of proper procurement guidelines, too, has been highlighted along with payments made to various cricket associations with an eye on cricket board elections.
At the conclusion of the April 6 inquiry Prof. Herath instructed Sports Ministry Secretary Wijekoon to initiate legal proceedings against those members of the SLC’s executive committee found guilty of financial impropriety. Wijekoon was also asked to secure the assistance of the AG in this regard.
Responding to another query, Prof. Herath said that he discussed the issues at hand with Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa. The issues raised included the continuation of Ashley de Silva as the CEO regardless of happenings at the SLC.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
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