In an unprecedented move, a cashstrapped Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) yesterday absorbed all of its office and administrative staff, including the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ashley de Silva, into the permanent cadre , but hours later an angry Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera ordered SLC to cancel all such appointments forthwith.

The Interim Committee (IC) decision came as a huge shock for the cricketing fraternity that has repeatedly called for the cutting down of the staff at SLC headquarters in Colombo, and it’s more alarming given that their days are numbered with the SLC election set for January 3, 2016.

Sri Lanka Cricket pays as much as Rs. 28 million as salaries for its massive cadre in excess of 250, a huge expense for a national sports body, and the shocking decision would further increase SLC’S liabilities.

A media communique under the signature of Rajith Fernando, manager media and communications, SLC, stated that the Interim Committee took the decision following a request from the Minister of Sports. Minister Jayasekera vehemently denied making such a request.

“This is absurd,” Minister Jayasekera said. “Besides they—the Interim Committee have no powers to do so”.

“When I met them last week, I asked them to report to me on how they (SLC) would implement the SLIDA recommendations. Instead of reporting back to me, they have taken a decision to take all the staff into the permanent cadre. I have asked them to cancel the appoiments” the minister explained.

The SLC media communique states “The Hon. Minister of Sports, Dayasiri Jayasekera, at a recent meeting held with the Interim Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket requested the Interim Committee to consider making permanent the current contracted staff members of SLC”.

Pursuant to this request, the letters to staff members totaling to 70 were issued yesterday by Interim Committee chief Sidath Wettimuny where they will be absorbed into the permanent cadre effective from November 15, 2015.

Among the recipients of permanent employment were CEO Ashley De Silva, Head of Coaching Jerome Jayaratne, Head of Marketing and Communication Vajira Dassanayake, his secretary Gayathri Wickramasinghe, National Curator DAJ Sampath, Manager Tournament and Umpire Chandima Mapatuna, Manager HR Lasitha Mendis, Chief Engineer Prasanna Jinaratne, Accountant Sudesh Fernando and Media Manager Rajith Fernando. The list also includes a number of clerical and minor staff members.

“The Interim Committee is of the view that this action will result in greater commitment and loyalty on the part of employees to Sri Lanka Cricket and that this will assist the organization in the years to come,” the media release added.

The number of staff has gone up from 12 in 1996 when Sri Lanka won the World Cup, to over 250 now and the administration is often criticized for its extravagance.

Sri Lanka Cricket is run by an Interim Committee since April 1, 2015 when former Minister of Sports Navin Dissanayake postponed elections in order to ‘clean up’ the country’s most influential sports association.

SLC have been a haven for corruption and mismanagement with administrators, including those with the ‘clean’ tag making hay while the sun shines.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka