Bandula willing to beg for Homagama Stadium funds

"Ready to beg for money to fund construction", Bandula Gunawardena on Homagama Cricket Stadium

by Zulfick Farzan 29-05-2020 | 6:42 PM

Colombo (News 1st); " I have not abandoned the idea of constructing Sri Lanka's largest cricket stadium ", said Joint Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Bandula Gunawardena today adding he is even " ready to beg for money to fund construction ".

Speaking at the weekly Cabinet Media Briefing, the Minister said he hopes to construct the cricket stadium without obtaining a red cent from the Government of Sri Lanka or Sri Lanka Cricket.

Highlighting the fact, he is a Minister who managed to secure 30 Million Rupees from overseas, Bandula Gunawardena said he would not seek funding from anyone else and is willing to beg for money even abroad for the construction of the Homagama International Cricket Stadium.

PM Rajapaksa said no to Homagama Cricket Stadium: https://www.newsfirst.lk/2020/05/21/prime-minister-says-no-to-diyagama-international-cricket-stadium-project/

It was just last week, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa instructed for the proposed International Cricket Stadium project in Diyagama to be suspended and for the funds to be directed towards the development of school cricket and stadiums.

The cash-strapped Sri Lankan Government and Sri Lanka Cricket came under strong criticism after plans to develop the country’s biggest cricket stadium in the City of Homagama in the Colombo District were revealed recently.

The country’s largest cricket stadium was to be constructed in a 26-acre state land in Diyagama, Homagama with a capacity of 60,000 at an estimated cost of US$ 40 million.

In a surprise twist, a spokesperson at the International Cricket Council told News1st, the ICC did not sanction any loan for the construction of a cricket stadium in Sri Lanka.