AT DISTRIBUTION OF CRICKET EQUIPMENT
Our aim is to create a common Sports Culture, Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage
By Srian Obeyesekere
Sujeeva Godaliyadda, Treasurer of Sri Lanka Cricket and Executive Member delivering the keynote address this morning at the distribution of cricket equipment under its National Pathway Program at the Duncan White Auditorium of the Ministry of Sports emphasized the fact that the development of SLC as a viable financially equipped organisation had not happened overnight, but that it was a type of sweat, blood and tears journey of going out to the international cricket world under its Logo and Name to finding adequate finances through diverse initiatives to administering the game of cricket in the length and breadth of the country. This had verily been its success story by which cricketers, both men and women were very well armed by way of the necessary cricket equipment to performing from the schools’ to the mainstream domestic and national levels to performing for Sri Lanka.
“Sri Lanka Cricket is not a big wealth as such, but has over the years evolved itself to becoming financially viable. SLC has not been funded by the sports ministry or any other organisation What we at SLC have built has been by our own initiative to going out to the international cricket world under our Logo and Name to working tirelessly to raising the much needed finances to running the game in the country. That has been our success story to standing on our own by which SLC has been able to finance the game from the very grassroots level covering every district in the length and breadth of the country by which young cricketers have benefitted by way of every facility from cricket materials to every other modern facility required to evolve their game,” he said while making the point that this huge success story was the result of ‘our cricket thinking President at Sri Lanka Cricket, Mr. Shammi Silva who formulated a far sighted plan since 2019 to take cricket forward at all levels with the right expertise at hand both, local and foreign.’ At school level alone an estimated 60,000 school cricketers had benefitted from SLCs national Pathway Program. The entire gamut of human resources involved in the game including coaches, scorers and district cricket associations was around 3 million supported by SLC while private schools too were supported as well.
At the outset, Sujeeva Godaliyadda, in his keynote address had a warm word of welcome for the Chief Guest, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Sunil Kumara Gamage, the President of SLC, Shammi Silva and ex-co members and officials, President of the Schools’ Cricket Association, all other related officials and heads of schools and other VIPS.
The Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, who next took the floor, emphasized that the sports ministry was keen to see that the game of cricket reached the hearts and minds of every household. “Ever since Sri Lanka won the Cricket World Cup the game has touched the hearts of Sri Lankans everywhere in the country. Even grandmothers developed an interest to watch the game.
He made special mention of the efforts taken by Sri Lanka Cricket’s President, Shammi Silva and his executive committee to develop the game further.
As to the game of cricket itself, the cricket loving Sports Minister said, “Can’t win every day and can’t lose every day is the outlook of the game.” But through the ups and downs, it is hoped that we would see a Cricket Summer once again.”
Touching on sports as a whole, the Sports Minister said, “Our aim is to create a common sports culture for the betterment of all sports.”
He further emphasized the value input to encouraging school children to making a mark in cricket by nurturing them further in every possible way.
The Minister further disclosed that currently he was in a close discourse with the Ministry of Education to evolving ways and means to further developing sports as a whole in Sri Lanka. In this regard there were certain relevant issues that needed to be ironed out in respect of the lack of various facilities.