Sri Lanka to benefit from Sports Economy

Sports Minister appoints committee to identify strategies:

YASARATNE GAMAGE

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has appointed an eight member committee to identify strategies to set up a sports economy following advices from President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The committee headed by the Sports Ministry Secretary Anura Jayawickckrama consists of Finance Ministry deputy secretary Dr B M S Batagoda, Prof Arjuna de Silva, Shantha Weerakoon, Eshan de Silva, Asanga Senaviratne, Indrajith Silva and Nishantha Ranathunge.

The committee is to compile a special report to identify strategies and tactics to develop a sports economy. Last year the sports ministry could revenue nearly US 100 million dollars to the country's economy by organizing international sports events in Sri Lanka.

The ministry hopes to expand the revenue up to US 500 million dollars by 2015 in line with the mid term sports development projects.

This includes organizing international sports events to boost income in the tourists industry as well.

It was further revealed that the committee will consider more participation in the foreign tournaments for the National Cricket Team par with the recognition Sri Lankan Cricket team has gained in international arena.

There will also be opportunity to set up offices and operation centres for international sports in Sri Lanka.

Developing accommodation facilities in most local hotels to international standards, lifting taxes when importing sports goods, attract more sponsors to sports from the private sector, manufacturing sports goods locally and also for export, relief on tax and other charges on hotels depending on the participating countries and allocating developed sports infrastructure to international needs will be some of the key areas the appointed committee will work on, the Sports Ministry further noted.