da doce： Adel Hashim, secretary of the interim committee governing Sri Lankan cricket speaks about the challenges at hand
da realsbet： Sa'adi Thawfeeq19-Jan-2006On the key changes”The changes that we introduce will be such that if somebody has to reverse them they will have a lot of explaining to do,” said , in an interview. “We have a very important subject at hand. The passion for cricket in this country is second only to national politics. We need to be able to direct the game administratively in the right direction. We have taken a little time to look into all aspect before we make the changes. In the next 4-6 weeks some drastic changes will take place.””We have put in place some strong financial disciplines. Approving, evaluating, recommendation of expenditure are looked at much more critically. All approvals are recorded very clearly. SLC also had a financial procedure but for some reason it was not strictly adhered to. What we have done now is with a few modifications put in place a procedures which are very strictly followed. We won’t authorise cheques, grants, purchases or any expenditure unless these procedures are followed.”We have taken serious measures to reduce costs on wasteful areas. Excessive staff is debatable. We have reduced staff and we are operating without a problem. It’s a clear indication that we have had far too many staff than what we really require. We feel we still can reduce some.”We look for competitive offers. We feel that the best price need not necessarily be the best decision to go with. In evaluating purchases and expenditure a balanced weight age is given to what will be beneficial to SLC.”Apart from taking a very strong control of what’s happening internally we also have a responsibility to try and take account of some of the things that have happened beyond our term,” said the Hashim, who draws on 14 years of experience in cricket administration and is currently the president of the Mercantile Cricket Association which has a membership of 140 private firms.On the investigations being conducted”At the right time we will hand over the details that we have, to the appropriate authorities and leave it in their hands what they want to do with it. We don’t intend dragging this matter indefinitely. It is the best sense of everybody concerned to have it done and finished with and to put the past behind. We will then put in place systems that will prevent this kind of happenings in the future.”On the drawbacksHashim said that the rapidity with which elected bodies have been changing in the past six years, made it important to have well documented procedures to ensure continuity. “This is a very serious drawback. It is important that we put a system in place and document it. We are very clear that there has to be greater accountability to everybody. Without accountability nothing will move.””The short life span of committees is probably an issue whether it is an elected body or a committee appointed by the Sports Minister because you can’t plan things for the future. Having said that if you introduce programs that are well thought out and generally accepted by all as constructive then it becomes difficult for someone to come and change it. Most of the time we are doing short term solutions and what we have is short term results. We have to be a little more patient, prudent and be reasonable in criticism. Everywhere there is some kind of division which is not allowing things to continue. At some point of time people will have to sit back and wonder how long we are going to play with the future of this game.””If there is something that’s keeping the Sri Lankan people going with all the problems around them, it is cricket. This is one sport that has put the country in the world map. It is the only sport we can hold our heads up high and say we are world beaters,” he said. Hashim said the current state of affairs in cricket is not the folly of the interim committee appointed seven months ago. “If that is the case then there is something radically wrong in the way we are assessing the situation,” he said.”From the time the World Cup was won ten years ago there has been various debates over the number of teams that should be playing in the Premier championship, how to take cricket to the provinces, how to find talent to replace seniors, policy on replacement of players, the deterioration of school cricket etc.,” said Hashim.On the contribution of various people”Everybody has been debating about it but for some reason or another some of the more drastic changes had not taken place. Now we are paying the price for it today. Fortunately or unfortunately we are in the spotlight and people are asking questions from us for all wrongs that have been there over a period of time. I only wish that we can solve all the problems.””Everybody who loves this game has a role to play and we have to be a little bit patient. The biggest emotional effect today is that the national team is losing and everybody starts criticising. Because somebody is blamed for it tomorrow things are not going to change. Everybody who loves this game has a role to play and we have to be a little bit patient.””The team has got to pull its socks together. We have quite a talented lot of players. This same team three months ago performed well in the domestic international series. At that time the interim committee was not to be blamed. At that time our players were a well united side and world beaters. Just because the committee has come the team can’t suddenly start losing.”On Sri Lanka’s poor away record”It is not a fact that it has happened because the interim committee has been appointed. Our record in Australia is a clear indication. Out of 30 one-day matches we have 25 losses and five wins. New Zealand we have not had a great series every time we went there. India is the same,” said Hashim. “Unfortunately all these international tours are also arranged back to back. Our record is not going to be very rosy unless we are able to change the record outside the country in the future. Does it mean that if you replace the interim committee with an elected body that everything will change?” he asked.(The Interim Committee: Jayantha Dharmadasa (chairman), Adel Hashim (secretary), Sujeewa Rajapakse (treasurer), Prakash Schaffter, K. Mathivanan and Damien Fernando.)
