Thilanga Sumathipala

Uduwatuwage Janath Priya Thilanga Sumathipala MP (born 3 May 1964) (known as Thilanga Sumathipala) is a Sri Lankan politician who was the former Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka since 2015. He is also the current President of Sri Lanka Cricket, who was appointed in January 2016.^[1]

Previously he served as Deputy Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training.^[2] He is a Member of Parliament representing the Colombo District. He served as a member of the Western Provincial Council and was the Sri Lanka Freedom Party chief organiser for the Borella Electorate in Colombo District. He is also the chairman of the Thimbirigasyaya Divisional Secretariat Development Coordination Committee and the managing director of one of the largest private corporate groups of companies in Sri Lanka. He is one of leading business magnates in Sri Lanka.

Early life and education

Thilanga Sumathipala was born on 3 May 1964 in Colombo. He received his education at Nalanda College Colombo and London College of Communication, UK. While at school Thilanga excelled in cricket and was the vice captain of the Nalanda College first XI team in 1982.^[3]

Career

Sumathipala chaired two telecommunication companies namely Sri Lanka Telecom and Mobitel (Pvt) Ltd from 2002 to 2004. He was the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka in 1997–1998, 2000–2001 and 2003–2004. Between 1998–2000 he was the director of the International Cricket Council and the president of the Asian Cricket Council in 1997–1998. He was also the chairman of the Asian Cricket Committee in 2000–2001.^[4]

Imprisonment

Sumathipala was given a rigorous imprisonment for 2 years in 2007 for aiding and abetting Dammika Perera-a criminal implicated in 28 murders- to obtain a forged passport under the fake name of Buddhika Priyashantha Godage.^[5] Sumathipala, the chairman of the Board of Cricket of that time has co-signed a letter with another officer to arrange 1500 Sterling Pounds to release to Buddhika Priyashantha Godage under which name the underworld criminal Dammika Perera went to England.^[6]Later he was acquitted on an appeal.

Sumathipala while preceding the chair of the SLBCC was also the managing director of Sumathi Newspapers and has confirmed that he was the owner of a Book Making Business producing an affidavit to the British Courts.^[7] "I am a bookmaker. That is my job. So I cannot get mathematics wrong," Sumathipala said in a tape-recorded interview.^[8]

Later, Sumathipala declared that he divested these interests in gaming and that the business is run by the members of his family now. However, the ICC Code of Ethics further states that even family involvement in gambling disqualifies the person.^[9]

References

• By Lakmal Welabada "'He is unique, that's why I love him'". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 2008-01-27.

• "About Thilanga". vote4thilanga.lk. Retrieved 2009-07-02.
• "Sumathi Group of Companies". sumathi.lk. Retrieved 2009-07-02.

• By Panchamee Hewavisenti "Biz Buzz for Tomorrow's Leaders". Sunday Observer. 2008-11-23. Retrieved 2009-07-02.

• "Beliatte battles stump Thilanga". The Sunday Leader. 2009-02-08. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved 2009-07-02.
• Thilanga Sumathipala on ‘HOT SEAT’ Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka) Video.