By Callistus Davy
Former Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe has launched a scathing attack on the current government, accusing it of turning a blind eye to widespread corruption in Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). He claims the administration, which came to power on an anti-corruption mandate, is now protecting tainted cricket officials instead of taking action.
Ranasinghe, who was removed from his post by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe last September after he dissolved the controversial SLC administration and appointed an Interim Committee, directed his criticism at President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Industries Minister Sunil Handunnetti.
He accused both of failing to act on a damning anti-corruption report compiled by the Auditor General in 2023. Notably, both Dissanayake and Handunnetti served on the COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises), which investigated public sector corruption—including in Sri Lanka Cricket—when they were in the opposition.
“I am asking the government—why are you sleeping on the Auditor General’s Report submitted in November 2023? I even urged the Attorney General to file charges based on the findings, but no progress has been made,” Ranasinghe told the media after giving a statement to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Thursday.
He accused the government of abandoning its responsibility despite having won the September presidential election on an anti-corruption platform. Two months later, President Dissanayake’s administration also secured an overwhelming parliamentary majority in a general election that saw nearly all MPs with corruption allegations lose their seats.
“President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and his government were elected on a pledge to eradicate public corruption. Funds at Sri Lanka Cricket are public funds. So how can SLC office bearers, who were recently re-elected, be allowed to continue in their roles?” Ranasinghe asked.
