SLAS ex-Treasurer says PM sets automobile sports on right track

Tuesday, 5 November 2024 01:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Text and pictures by P.D. De Silva

Former SLAS Treasurer Upulwan Serasinghe

Former Sri Lanka Automobile Sports (SLAS) Treasurer Upulwan Serasinghe said that Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, in her capacity as the Sports Minister, has taken a first step to set automobile sports on the right track.

He said that Dr. Amarasuriya, on being informed, took prompt action to order the Director General of Sports Development to terminate the appointment of the ‘dedicated point of contact and facilitator on behalf of the Sports Ministry in all matters pertaining to the Development of Automobile Sports in Sri Lanka’ (a post created by the DG) within days after the official assumed office.

Serasinghe said that SLAS is the governing body for automobile sports in Sri Lanka but its registration was temporarily suspended by an Order published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2386/08 dated 29 May 2024, and the then Sports Minister, by the power vested in him under Section 32 and 33 of the Sports Law, No. 25 of 1973 and its amendments, appointed the Director General of the Department of Sports Development as the competent authority with effect from 29 May 2024 as a temporary mechanism to proceed with administrative and other required activities of SLAS and to call and conduct relevant elections as well as to perform the duties appropriately until then.

SLAS is made up by 10 affiliated clubs, namely Ceylon Motor Sports Club (CMSC), Sri Lanka Motor Cycle Club (SLMCC), Sri Lanka Association of Drivers and Riders (SLADAR), Southern Motor Sports Club (SMSC), Motor Racing Association (MRA), Asian Motor Racing Club (AMRC), Colombo Motor Sports Club (ColMRC), Negombo Motor Sports Club (NMSC), Sri Lanka Auto Sports Drivers Association (SLADA), and the Army Motor Sports Committee (AMSC).

Samarasinghe expressed hope that the competent authority would conduct the SLAS AGM without any further delay.