Former captain wants cricket in Sri Lanka overhauled -News Item
Posted on January 28th, 2021
Dr Sarath Obeysekera
Cricket players who may have been above board should not get involved in politics
Celebrated captain who lifted the World Cup should have stayed as a senior cricketer like Sanga or Mahela and serve the nation .Trying to emulate Imran Khan has not shown much results .Previous government have him a lucrative job as the minister for ports and shipping and also made him the minister of Petroleum .But the country did not see much of his contribution to both industries
When the Galle Harbour marina project and Yacht repair project was mooted investors requested to provide support to the minister
He did not understand the potential to develop Galle .As the investor needed to get the state support matter was discussed at the Committee chaired by then prime minster RW and minister was advised to help .
After the meeting the minister of ports came out and did not show much enthusiasm to support the investor
Galle projects was just forgotten again and the Galle harbour is still waiting for development
Marina will never come with cement unloading taking place creating toxic cloud of dust and an abandoned gas carrier Brought in by Mundo Gas by another supporter who is none other than Master Divers which is sinking for last 15 years or more in Galle
As a minister he could have done something with the help of his
Cricketers brother – chairman who followed him from one ministry to another project to support to develop Galle project and it was never done
Colombo Port also did not see much of a growth and Trincomalee also
It would have been better that Arjuna stayed as a veteran cricketer and give full support to develop the game rather than now lamenting about the game
His other younger brother who was in the other side of politics has not done much either
General opinion is that he cannot make comments about cricket which he abandoned for a lucrative political carrier where he has miserably failed