A mainstream media news outlet released a message earlier today, stating that President Ranil Wickremesinghe had not been notified about the decision to appoint a Sri Lanka Cricket Interim Committee nor the composition of its members and that this matter will be taken up for discussion at a Cabinet Meeting later today.
Earlier today, the Ministry of Sports’ issued media release went viral on several social media platforms when it stated that the entire Sri Lanka Cricket Executive Committee headed by Shammi Silva had been sacked and that the former World Cup winning skipper Arjuna Ranatunga was appointed to head its Interim Committee.
Minister Roshan Ranasinghe’s decision to sack the SLC Executive Board was expected, especially after he himself was very vocal in stating that the SLC Administration was corrupt and also after several members of the public had gathered outside the SLC Headquarters. The public were outraged after Sri Lanka’s poor showing at the ongoing Cricket World Cup, where incidentally India went on to humiliate Sri Lanka by 302 runs a few days ago.
The Ministry of Sports issued a media bulletin which stated the names of its appointed Interim Committee headed by former Minister Arjuna Ranatunga also included the names of three retired judges, the son of a current Cabinet Minister, the son of the former Colombo Mayor and also a former President of the SLC.
A post questioning certain names being widely circulated on social media
Many members of the public taking to social media, voiced their concerns when the names of the Interim Committee was announced.
“This looks like a classic case of changing the pillow for the same headache.”
“In the recent past the public simply wanted the former President of the country Gotabaya Rajapaksa out. Their focus was to simply get rid of him. Never in their wildest dreams did they envisage getting Ranil Wickremesinghe instead. Now they want Shammi Silva and his team out. But what they have got instead is Arjuna Ranatunga, Upali instead of his ousted brother Jayantha Dharmadasa, the son of current Cabinet Minister Wijedasa Rajapaksa and also the son of former Mayor of Colombo and who was also the former Governor of the Western Province and ace casino gambler A.J.M Muzamil besides three retired judges.” stated one of the comments.
The post went on to state “Arjuna Ranatunga states that one of the things he wishes to do is wipe out nepotism. However he himself has been guilty of nepotism in the past when he appointed his brother Dhammika Ranatunga to the post of Chairman Ports Authority when he was running it as the Minister.”
However, according to reliable sources the appointed names such as Upali Dharmadasa, Rakhitha Rajapakshe (Attorney at Law) and Hisham Jamaldeen are said to be taken up for discussion during the Cabinet of Ministers’ meeting.
