Arjuna Launches Public Trust Fund For Outstation Cricketers (13 Jul 1996)

13 July 1996

Arjuna launches public trust fund for outstation cricketers

By Sa`adi Thawfeeq

Sri Lanka`s World Cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga launched a public trust fund primarily to provide accommodation and nourishment to outstation cricketers.

The initial step of this project is to build a hostel somewhere in Colombo to enable the cricketers who come from far flung areas to reside while they are attending pool practices etc.

Speaking at a press conference held at his new office, Protection and Assurance Brokers at Kynsey Road (which he is due to join shortly as Executive Director) on Thursday evening, Ranatunga said that he has been assured of a suitable block of land by President Chandrika Kumaratunga and by Sports Minister S.B. Dissanayake.

Ranatunga`s proposal is to have a land and building which should be able to accommodate up to 30 people at any point of time.

"The immediate need is to have a residential complex to cater to and accommodate the national pool cricketers, most of whom would be coming from distant places to Colombo when international matches are played here,`` said Ranatunga.

"It has been my experience that they hardly have the necessary facilities or the means for the basic requirements by way of accommodation and nourishment. While we have individually tried to accommodate a few cricketers in the best possible way, this problem cannot be solved in this piecemeal manner,`` he said.

Ranatunga has already received Rs. 100,000 from the national cricketers which was collected soon after the inaugural Singer World Series in 1994. He has been promised further assistance for his project by architects and other experts in this field on a honourary capacity.

A public trust fund has been opened to raise the necessary money to achieve his objectives, which also include indoor nets, a gymnasium, a swimming pool and a library which belong to phase two of the project.

"I have gained both material and mental satisfaction from cricket through the hard way. In order to give back something to the game I love, I have taken upon the responsibility of finding the necessary finances for the building. It will be done with the help of sponsors, others committed to the sport and with the assistance of the Ministry of Sports and the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka,`` said Ranatunga, who admired former Pakistan captain Imran Khan, who went on to build a cancer hospital in memory of his mother.

"What Sri Lanka needs is good facilities for sportsmen to develop the game,`` said Ranatunga, who is the chairman of the trust.

Minister Reggie Ranatunga, Lionel Mendis, Chandra Gunasekera, Oshadie Weerasinghe, Mrs. Samadara Ranatunga and Chandrakumar de Silva are the other trustees with Khalinga Indratissa as the secretary.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)