Majority of Sri Lanka people are on the opinion that the long due arrival of Anura Kumara Dissanayake as new Executive President is the beginning of a corruption free era!
As it was evident throughout NPP’s campaign, newly appointed Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who has Sports Ministry also under her disposal, has instructed an immediate internal audit regarding the progress of expenditure allocations within the Sports Ministry.
In her remarks, the Prime Minister emphasized the need to control unnecessary state spending. She noted that while the Ministry has maintained records of state allocations and expenditure, there has been no substantial review of their progress. As a result, she called for a prompt internal audit to assess what has been accomplished with the funds utilized.
In the wake of Dr. Amarasuriya’s Immediate action plan towards Sports Ministry, the expenditure of a total amount of approximately 300 million SLR donated by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to the Sports Ministry during Roshan Ranasinghe’s tenure also comes under scrutiny!
As it was published in local media as well time and again, the motive behind SLC’s generous donation being the paternal body of Sri Lanka’s most cherished game was to help Island’s other Sports in developing their Infrastructure.
However, it’s Interesting to see whether the said amount was actually used for the betterment of other Sports by the Ministry under Ranasinghe? Back then, Ranasinghe was on a mission to go after not only SLC, but all other Sports Including Rugby and Football as well. As a result, there were multiple court cases Involving Ranasinghe and Sports bodies! Thus, it must be checked whether the said donated amount was used in these exercises?
Many Sri Lanka Sports Minister, before Ranasinghe as well, were accused of using SLC as a platform for their political revival. Remember Faizer Mustapha! Thus, any possible connection between Ranasinghe’s election campaign and SLC said donation also must be checked.
The fallout between Ranasinghe and SLC was extraordinary! It went to a level that SLC had requested the intervention of then President Ranil Wickremesinghe, stating that its day-to-day operations are being affected due to the “deliberate harassment from the sports ministry.” It followed by Ranasinghe sacking the entire Cricket board, putting an Interim committee, bringing ICC ban and eventually his own removal as Sports Minister!
Ranasinghe later contested recently concluded President election, as an Independent candidate. However, he could not get more than a few hundreds votes!
