da doce： Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium is finally emerging from anembarrassing string of financial and ownership disputes that have marred itsshort history since being raised from scrub in 155 days
Charlie Austin16-Feb-2002Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium is finally emerging from anembarrassing string of financial and ownership disputes that have marred itsshort history since being raised from scrub in 155 days.By July, the problems had became so intractable that contractors laid downtheir tools and the shiny new stadium, situated in the central drylands,became off-limits for touring sides.Dambulla Stadium
©CricInfoHowever, the ground was reopened to stage the current third unofficial Testmatch between Kenya and Sri Lanka A and the Chairman of the Board of Controlfor Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL), Vijaya Malalsekera, is hopeful that alldisputes will now be resolved in the coming weeks.Dambulla’s controversial tale started right from the projects inception,with the cricket community divided as to the value of building a 25,000seater stadium in such a remote rural area.Thilanga Sumathipala championed the project as the President of the BCCSL,arguing that the stadium would help develop the game in the outstations andprotect television revenues from the vagaries of the weather.Others were skeptical of Sumathipala’s rationale, believing the plan to be awaste of precious developmental resources.However, undeterred, Sumathipala drove the project with manic zeal, from thedrawing board into reality in the space of just five months, just in time tostage its inaugural match against England last March.But soon after that match, the real problems began.Sumathipala had been so determined to have the projected completed in timefor the England match that the costs had soared, from the original 150million rupee (USD $ 1.5m) forecast to a final bill that will be close to500 million rupees (USD $5m).Next, in a surprise move, Sports Minister Lakshmann Kiriella – apparentlyacting upon a request from President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga -dissolved the Cricket Board on a constitutional technicality.An Interim Committee was appointed to run the affairs of the board and aProbe Committee was established to investigate allegations of financialmismanagement during Sumathipala’s terms in office.©CricInfoThe awarding of contracts to building constructors for the Dambulla projectand the payment of those appointed contractors soon became one of the focalpoints of the investigation.The Attorney General’s department ordered the Interim Committee to freezeall further payments to constructors until such time as a properinvestigation had been completed.Sierra Constructors, the principal construction company, sealed off theground, refusing access to the BCCSL until they had received full payment.Sierra’s hardline stance mellowed with time, allowing matches to be playedagainst Canada and Pakistan A, but the payment dispute rumbled on.Meanwhile, Sumathipala successfully challenged the Probe Committee in thecourts, claiming that the appointment of its members was political motivatedwith the committee stacked full of opponents. The investigation ground to ahalt.Further problems arose over the legal standing of the lease signed by theCricket Board and the Rangiri Dambulla temple authorities, who own the65-acre plot of land on which the stadium was constructed.The government ministry dealing with Buddhist affairs argued that the leasehad been signed without their prior permission and was therefore unlawful.As the payment dispute and ownership dispute dragged on, the SportsMinistry, acting on rumours that Sierra were considering last-minute legalaction to disrupt the games, prevented three one-day matches being hostedduring the Coca-Cola Cup with India and New Zealand in August 2001.©CricInfoThe venue was also avoided during tours by West Indies and Zimbabwe later inthe year.However, finally, with the assistance of a new Sports Minister, JohnstoneFernando, anxious that the problems be quickly resolved, both the paymentand ownership disputes are close to resolution.The Attorney General has now given the all clear to the Cricket Board tostart paying the final balance payments due to the building contractors.Chairman of the Interim Committee of the BCCSL, said: “In two weeks time theInterim Committee will meet and we will decide on the final payment of theoutstanding balance which is approximately 162 million rupees (USD $ 1.6m).Sierra, and the numerous other contractors still owed money, will be paid infull if they provide a detailed and acceptable breakdown of the costsincurred.The BCCSL are also hopeful that the legal wrangle over the lease will besettled shortly after assistance from new Interim Committee member andimminent lawyer, Nalin Laduwahetty, who took over responsibility for thecomplex issue.The Sports Minister has also played his part, calling for the BudhasasanaJustice and Law Reforms Minister V.J.M. Lokubandara to intervene and bringabout a settlement between the Dambulla temple authorities and the ministry.It’s a settlement long overdue and even those with initial reservationsabout the project will be pleased that one of the most scenic venues in theworld will finally be able to start repaying the considerable sum of moneyinvested in it.