Kanchana Jayaratne elected SLVB President

By Susil Premalal

Former chairman of the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council Kanchana Jayaratne was elected President of the Sri Lanka Volleyball Federation (SLVB) at the SLVB elections held to elect office-bearers for the period 2021-2024 at the Sports Ministry auditorium yesterday.

He was elected uncontested after former president and Deputy Speaker Ranjith Siyambalapitiya withdrew his nomination. Jayaratne becomes the eighth politician to be elected as SLVB President. An old boy of St. Joseph Vaz College, Wennappuwa who represented the school and club in volleyball, Jayaratne has been serving as Vice President of the SLVB since 2012. 

Prior to his election, D.B. Wickramasinghe, Ronnie de Mel, Ashoka Wadigamangawa, Mervyn J. Cooray, Reggie Ranatunga, Dilan Perera and Ranjith Siyamlabalapitiya were the politicians who held the top post.

Jayaratne is the husband of Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi.

Having begun his volleyball career as a schoolboy in the 80s and serving as SLVB Vice President for a long time, to be elected as President without a contest is a significant achievement for Jayaratne.

Meanwhile, General Secretary A.S. Nalaka, Assistant Secretaries Saman Abeywardena and K. Meegamuwage, Treasurer Thushara Perera and Tournament Secretary Krishanthi Jayawardena were re-elected uncontested.  Among the eight candidates who vied for the six positions of Vice President were Brig. Mahesh Aberathne (141 votes), C. Rathnamudali (136 votes), Chandana Wijesinghe (131 votes), Nimal Perera (128 votes), Air Commodore Pathman D. Costa (127 votes), T.D. S De Silva (101 votes) and Kumara Wendakoon (school representative).