The CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket Ashley De Silva remained tight lipped over a sum of Rs 600 million that is alleged to been obtained by Sri Lanka Cricket from the Bank of Ceylon, at a monumental interest rate of Rs 7 million month recently, said an employee of SLC.
CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket Ashley De Silva
Several attempts to get through to the usually contactable CEO De Silva was not made possible due to his sudden avoidance since of late. All phone calls, emails and SMS’s sent to him have been unanswered.
Colombo Telegraph contacted a cross section of employees from within SLC who also continued to remain tight lipped as their CEO.
It was as recently as the 24th of April 2015 that did the CEO De Silva write to his staff at SLC asking them to reduce their budgets by 25% as advised by the Minister of Sports Navin Dissanayake’s appointed Interim Committee.
“We are already into the second quarter of our current financial year and this year’s budget was given great thought when we did make it last year, which was approved by the previous Executive Committee (EXCO). We took into consideration that as per the Future Tours Programme (FTP) we have just one incoming Australian Tour in July of 2016. With not much revenue generation as per the FTP, we gave it good thought when budgeting our expenses for this year. The FTP highlights five overseas tours to England, Australia, Zimbabwe, the T20 World Cup and the Asia Cup” said one source within SLC to requested anonymity.
“I believe this decision was taken after it was been made known that monies due to SLC from the International Cricket Council was banked in an escrow account recently. If the ICC does not release these funds to SLC, we will be faced with a huge problem. This is a classic example of “taking from Peter to pay Paul” said our source.
The Stake Holders made it extremely clear to the Interim Committee when they met that when eventually an EXCO is appointed through an AGM, they will not take upon any financial liabilities incurred and passed on to them by the current Interim Committee.
David Richardson the Chief Executive of the ICC also made it very clear when he sent SLC an email on the 31st March 2015 the day the Interim Committee was appointed on the repercussion that SLC could face, when governments interfere with one of the members. His email read “Whilst we have no further or substantive information about the accuracy or otherwise of these media reports, I just wanted to flag with you the risk that such action could put Sri Lanka Cricket in breach of Article 2.9(B) of ICC’s Articles of Association which states as follows: ‘Where a government interferes in the administration of cricket by a Member, including but not limited to interference in operational matters, the selection and management of teams, the appointment of coaches or support personnel, the Executive Board shall have the power to suspend or refuse to recognize that Member…’.
The ICC then held back monies due to SLC and banked it in an escrow account shortly thereafter where it still lay.
The CEO Sri Lanka Cricket’s email sent to his staff is found below.
From: Ashley de Silva <ashley@srilankacricket.lk>
Date: Fri, Apr 24, 2015 at 2:07 PM
Subject: Annual Budget
To: Carlton Bernardus <carlton.bernardus@srilankacricket.lk>, Vajira Dassanayake <vajira.dassanayake@srilankacricket.lk>, “jeromejayaratne@hotmail.com” <jeromejayaratne@hotmail.com>, Chandramali Korale <hofinance@srilankacricket.lk>, Chandima Mapatuna <tournament@srilankacricket.lk>, Prasanna Jinaratne <prasanna.jinaratne@srilankacricket.lk>, Asantha Dassanayake <asantha.dassanayake@srilankacricket.lk>, Lasitha Mendis <hr@srilankacricket.lk>, Sidath Fernando <sidath.fernando@srilankacricket.lk>, Savithri Fernando <savithri.fernando@srilankacricket.lk>, Senaka Angulugaha <senaka.angulugaha@srilankacricket.lk>
Cc: Charmaine Cuttilan <addl.ceosec@srilankacricket.lk>
Dear all,
The IC at its meeting held on 22nd April 2015 requested us to review the above budget and to reduce it by at least 25%. Hence, you are kindly requested to go through your respective departmental budgets and come up with your proposals in order to discuss it on Wednesday the 29th of April 2015 at 10am in the SLC Board Room.
Best Regards
Ashley De Silva
Chief Executive Officer
Sri Lanka Cricket
35, Maitland place, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka
The President of the Interim Committee Sidath Wettimuny did maintain his stance that he wishes to uphold transparency and good governance when he met the Stake Holders of SLC recently. That intention of Wettimuny’s seems to have been shot down by the CEO De Silva as he did inform his staff in a subsequent email dated the 5th May 2015, that the Interim Committee Members are not to be copied on any internal emails.
A copy of SLC CEO De Silva’s email to his staff is found below.
From: Ashley de Silva <ashley@srilankacricket.lk>
Date: 2015 මැයි 5 ප.ව. 5:56:21 GMT+5:30
To: Carlton Bernardus <carlton.bernardus@srilankacricket.lk>, “jeromejayaratne@hotmail.com” <jeromejayaratne@hotmail.com>, Vajira Dassanayake <vajira.dassanayake@srilankacricket.lk>, Lasitha Mendis <hr@srilankacricket.lk>, Chandramali Korale <hofinance@srilankacricket.lk>, Chandima Mapatuna <tournament@srilankacricket.lk>, Kamal Dharmasiri <kamal@srilankacricket.lk>, Vanessa De Silva <vanessa.desilva@srilankacricket.lk>, Savithri Fernando <savithri.fernando@srilankacricket.lk>, Prasanna Jinaratne <prasanna.jinaratne@srilankacricket.lk>, Asantha Dassanayake <asantha.dassanayake@srilankacricket.lk>, Dakssha Jayahkody <dakssha.jayahkody@srilankacricket.lk>
Subject: Mails to IC memebrs
Dear All,
Despite discussions at Management Committee meetings and repeatedly emphasizing the importance of following the proper channels, it has been observed by the undersigned that some of you still persist in copying mails to the IC members, which needs to be addressed by the undersigned.
Therefore, you are hereby instructed to strictly adhere to the following procedure.
Mails pertaining to operational matters should be copied only to the relevant employee/person.
The important mails related to administrative matters should be copied to the Hony. Secretary .
The mails related to the Financial matters should be copied only to the Treasurer
The Hony. Secretary or the undersigned will decide whether the mails should be forwarded to the relevant IC Members for necessary action.
I sincerely hope that you will abide by the guidelines given and in the event you fail to comply, I will be compelled to take alternate action.
Best Regards
Ashley De Silva
Chief Executive Officer
Sri Lanka Cricket
35, Maitland place, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka
kumaraya / May 16, 2015
Sri Lanka Cricket, Weliamuna Report been neglected, GR’s matter not implemented!!! Chi, Chi, Chee. We hope it will not be business as usual. We need My3 to take charge.
/
Upul / May 16, 2015
Seriously? Really? He just woke up in May 2015 and realised the income would not even come close to expenses?
He and the rest of the lot should be sent home first, as part of the 25% reduction and then we might see some real Cricket development happening.
/
Vibhushana / May 16, 2015
With the royalties and TV rights the Cricket board should be making a profit. The cricket board instead keep paying themselves large bonuses and incur expenses with unnecessary traveling.
This is one institution in which “independence” has had a negative impact both in its finances and performance of the sport in general.
Here its quite OK that the legislature to step in. The minister need to keep the CB in check reforming it with new rules and procedures.
/
Snowden Edward Asange / May 16, 2015
Sack EVERYONE who is associated with SLC.. Appoint Fresh faces so that SLC could be revived and turned around … This institution was a cash cow and all involved milked it until it became barren…
The Dharmapalas, Sumathipalas Asantha de Mel’s Ranathunga’s (excluding Arjuna) and all who were involved earlier should NEVER be made officials…
/
paul / May 18, 2015
“Appoint Fresh faces so that SLC could be revived and turned around … ” preferably some decent old boys of the Royal College. Ranil might be able to assist SL Cricket on this.. No point in consulting any other. I dont believe Sirisena, Mangala or Chandrika had a bat in all their lives.
/
shankar / May 16, 2015
can’t they sell the hambantota cricket stadium and get the money.
Whenever we are tight for money sell something in hambantota.
One day might have to even sell hambantota to highest bidder.
/
Snowden Edward Asange / May 16, 2015
MR’s buddies CHINA would be more than glad to acquire ANYTHING from Hambantota…including the Medamulana ancestoral home of MR
/
Jagath Fernando / May 16, 2015
Let’s give th IC a bit of space.
They are trying to clean it up by reducing waste and being transparent.
/
Jagath Fernando / May 16, 2015
Guys like Sidath and Kushil have no hidden agendas.
Some of the other guys are questionable.
Sidath and Kushil will do ther best and clean it up as much as possible. They have no hidden agendas.
Unfortunately nothing much can be done since the ghost stadiums in Hambantota is already built.
/
Jagath Fernando / May 18, 2015
We need to understand the dynamics of inbound tours.
Only Indian and English tours make money. All other tours including Australian and SA tours are run at a loss. TV revenue is insufficient to pay for expenses.
Even the upcoming Pakistan and WI tours will suffer losses.
The issue is with under utilized infrastructure and settling debt. We don’t play sufficient income generating matches in these stadiums on a continuous basis.
Need a complete overhaul.
/