Accusation against Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) controversial vice president Jayantha Dharmadasa of directly involving in business deals and getting financially benefited from the board is among many objections filled by Colts Cricket Club against incumbent president Shammi Silva camp candidates, Cricket Age exclusively learns.
On February 6, Cricket Age had published that Colts Cricket Club has filled several objections against Shammi Silva’s camp candidates for the forthcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Maitland Place.
One of the main objection is against Dharmadasa, accusing him of directly getting benefited from the same organization, where he holds vice president post.
Cricket Age has the access of the document, which has been submitted to Election Committee, to prove the allegations against Dharmadasa. The said document proves that Dharmadasa, even after occupying vice president post at Maitland Place, has received SLR 5,445,000 from the cricket board for the players PCR tests through his Nawaloka hospital. The explosive document proves that the payment was made for the PCR tests, which were conducted at Nawaloka during the inaugural edition of Lanka Premier League (LPL) in November last year.
Those, who have filled this document as one of the main objection against Dharmadasa, have described it a clear case of conflict of interest at highest level.
“It’s shameful and disgusting that being the vice president of the SLC, he is directly doing business with the board and is getting financially benefited as well. It’s conflict of interest and board constitution doesn’t allow such practices. In this scenario, he must be disqualified from contesting the election” a source, who is wary of developments, told Cricket Age.
However, the story doesn’t ends here! Another shocking fact in this saga is that on the instructions of a former SLC president, his loyals, who still occupy top posts at Maitland Place, have deliberately leaked this document to third party, in order to stop Dharmadasa from contesting the forthcoming election, which is scheduled to take place on May 20. Cricket Age understands that the document was prepared by SLC head of admin Aruna de Silva and admin manager Asantha Dassanayake and was approved by CEO Ashley de Silva. Among those, Aruna de Silva in particular has been considered a loyal of the said former board president. Cricket Age understands that as the said former president has been kicked out from the Maitland Place, he is desperately trying every trick to somehow disqualify Dharmadasa also from the election.
Since 6 August 2020, Cricket Age has exposed time and again how immediately after Dharmadasa’s politically backed and forced comeback at Maitland Place, his close associate Shibly also started getting benefited from SLC through various ways. Over the last few months, Cricket Age has continually exposed how Shibly, owner of Cricket Shop, situated in Colpetty, Colombo -3, is reaping the benefits from each and every assignment at SLC’ international cricket department. Since August, Shibly has secured tenders of all cricket materials and has taken over international teams hotel booking assignments as well, apart from using board vehicle for his own business! For the recently concluded England series, Shibly had also supplied more than 500 low quality T-shirts to International cricket department.
Since his arrival at SLC, Dharmadasa has not presented any sort of blue print or proposal to arrest the downfall of the national team, in all three formats. Five months on, team is limping in ICC rankings in all three formats.
However, bringing back national team performance on track in not among his priorities. Instead, his focus remained only on two things – how he can benefit his loyal Shibly and how he can bring more PCR tests for Nawaloka! Only two organisation have been benefited by Dharmadasa’s arrival – Shibly’s Cricket Shop and Nawaloka!
Aruna de Silva, meanwhile, has always been notorious for involving in wrongdoings. Recently, due to a management blunder by Aruna, all 3 tea girls at the Maitlad Place have become ‘Inactive’. While these girls are still in employment, on the recommendation of Aruna, few instant tea machines have been purchased by the board and placed. However, instead of these girls, the department peons have been asked to operate the machines and provide tea to respective departments, making tea girls inactive.
