Cricket in Sri Lanka is paralyzed and president Shammi Silva is busy promoting CCC products like Kuvera De Zoysa, Kamalika Jayasekara, Tanesh Dias, Ashan Priyanjan, Lahiru Madushanka and Lakshan Sandakan.
As for as obliging the favorites is concerned, Shammi Silva, president of Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC), has certainly taken a leaf out of his Boss Thilanga Sumathipala’s book. During his disastrous tenure at SLC, Sumathipala was notorious for creating out of nowhere job positions in order to oblige loyals of Punchi Borella and even of his news paper Lakbima.
The SLC district cricket associations in all parts of the island have been filled with Sumathipala loyals, that gives deciding edge to former president over his opposition during the board election time.
Shammi Silva, meanwhile, has filling his loyals directly at SLC, instead of district cricket associations!
Tanesh Dias is yet another classic example of this. Cricket Age exposed earlier in the week how Colombo Cricket Club (CCC) member and president counsel Kuvera De Zoysa has robbed SLC money as legal fees through Shammi Silva, Tanesh Dias is another beneficiary from ‘CCC Gang’.
Tanesh Dias rise at SLC is unprecedented, but not unexpected, as he is the secretary of Shammi’s club CCC.
A retired army officer, Tanesh was immediately brought to Shammi’s cabin after SLC election on February 21st. More shockingly, just after spending two months as Shammi’s cabin at his secratary, he was appointed as the head of communication and channels.
According to sources, Tanesh doesn’t know a word about media and communication and still doing Shammi’s personnel things like replying e mails and drafting letters and getting a salary of 3 lakhs per month!
Most shockingly, that Tanesh Dias is currently in Pakistan, for the ongoing tour! According to sources, his names was included at last moment and he traveled with the team! SLC’s lame excuse is that he went there to oversee security arrangements ax ex army officer. The reality, however, is that one month ago itself SLC secratary Mohan De Silva led delegation had visited Pakistan and approved all the security arrangements.
When inquired, it learnt that there was no such job position like this at SLC. However, in order to accommodate Tanesh, Shammi followed his boss Sumathipala’s footsteps by creating a never heard before post Head of communication and channels.
Shammi Silva led administration, in last 7 months, have completely paralyzed Sri Lanka Cricket with its mismanagement. Suspended head coach Chandika Hathurasingha is drawing a salary of 40,000 USD per month by just sitting at Khetterama, as there is no permanent head coach, spin bowling coach for the national team. In addition, at so called High Performance center, there is no successor of Asanka Gurusinha. Everything in Sri Lanka cricket right now, is unsolved. Instead of resolving these burning issues, Shammi Silva led administration is busy in overseas trips, obliging CCC members, employees and players (Ashan Priyanjan, Lahiru Madushanka and Lakshan Sandakan).
