SLC to lose Dambulla Stadium?= Violated agreement by permitting Indian liquor promotion

The Island

SLC to lose Dambulla Stadium?= Violated agreement by permitting Indian liquor promotionSeptember 6, 2010, 9:57 pm
By Saman Indrajith
Tactics used by two Indian foreign liquor companies, to promote their brands of whisky during the recent tri-nation cricket tournament at the Rangiri Dambulla Cricket Stadium, has hit Sri Lanka Cricket severely. It is poised to lose its rights to organize matches at that stadium.
The owner of the land on which the 30,000 seater stadium is built, Chief incumbent of the Rangiri Dambulla rock temple, Ven Inamaluwe Sri Sumangala Thero told The Island that the Sri Lanka Cricket had allowed two Indian companies to promote the brand names of Royal Stag and McDowell Platinum whisky during the tournament. This permission to promote the brand names by the SLC was in violation of the lease agreement between the temple and SLC.
The lease agreement in Section 5 clearly states that the stadium could not be allowed to use, promote or sell any alcohol or tobacco related products or display their brand names, the thero said. The agreement also states that violation of any one or more of those clauses would automatically result in the annulling of the agreement.
Thero said that the National Authority on Alcohol and Tobacco brought it to his notice that the two Indian companies, which were among the sponsors of the tournament, had continually promoted their brand names despite opposition from the NATA.
Chairman of the NATA, Prof Carlo Fonseka had written to Sumangala Thero that Section 35(4) of the NATA Act No 27 of 2006 has stated that an alcohol advertisement means (among other things) "a brand name associated with alcohol products."
Prof. Fonseka has requested the Chief Executive Officer of the SLC not to allow the tournament to become a promotional event for the two companies. In a letter addressed to the CEO of the SLC, Fonseka says: ‘Royal Stag’ and ‘McDowell Platinum’ are notorious examples of brand names habitually associated with alcohol products. Given the high priority that the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa accords to discouraging tobacco and alcohol use in the country, I urge you to consider your practice of continuing the open and flagrant violation of the law of the country relating to advertisement of alcohol products."
Sumangala thero said that he had written to the SLC a show-cause letter dated September 2, demanding reasons within 14 days as to why he should not declare the agreement annulled. "I do not want to see the stadium used to promote foreign liquor," he said.
Secretary of the SLC, Nishantha Ranatunga said that the issue had been referred to the Attorney General’s Department and he was not in a position to comment until the AG’s report reaches him.
A NATA spokesman told The Island that ‘Royal Stag’ and ‘McDowell Platinum’ have commenced different products including soft drinks, mineral water and sports goods by the same brand names and promote them during sports events under the excuse that they were promoting those subsidiary products not alcohol. ‘Royal Stag’ once got Pakistan cricket great Wasim Akram to promote their sports gears by the same brand name and finally the case ended up in Courts and the legendary cricketer was accused of promoting liquor, he said. This was the same strategy these companies used here to promote their liquor brand names, he said.