News

Battle over proposed power tariff intensifies as PUCSL Chief rejects NC deadline

Published

3 years ago

2023/01/23

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), Janaka Ratnayake, yesterday (22) said that Parliament couldn’t, under any circumstances, settle the simmering dispute over the power tariffs, proposed by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), outside the PUCSL Act No 35 of 2002 and the Sri Lanka Electricity Act No 20 of 2009.

The outspoken official, embroiled in a running battle with the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government, said so when The Island sought his response to the all-party National Council (NC) directive to the PUCSL, and the CEB, to reach a consensus on electricity tariffs before they appeared before the NC tomorrow (24).

Emphasising the need to finalize the required calculations, before a final decision could be made, intrepid official Ratnayake said that he didn’t mince his words when the situation was explained to the National Council.The PUCSL and the CEB received specific directive, in this regard, from the National Council, on January 19, during proceedings chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

The leader of the ruling party parliamentary group, Premier Dinesh Gunawardena, sat at the head table, with the Speaker and Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake.

“Let me stress, the National Council or any other institution cannot impose a deadline on the PUCSL. We abide by the relevant parliamentary Act,” Ratnayake said.

However, the PUCSL and the CEB haven’t met so far.Asked whether he had the backing of the entire Board, the PUCSL Chairman said that having unanimously taken a stand against the Cabinet-of-Ministers backed CEB’s pricing formula, on January 12, some other members reneged on their word.

The PUCSL board consists of Janaka Ratnayake (Chairman), Udeni Wickramasingle (Deputy Chairman), Chathurika Wijesinghe and Mohan Samaranayake. Prof. Janaka B. Ekanayake (Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Peradeniya) quit the PUCSL board in early part of last year. That vacancy hasn’t been filled yet.

Ratnayake alleged that the other members had switched their allegiance to the government and were pursuing a strategy harmful to the electricity consumers.

Asked whether the majority could override him to pave the way for the second electricity increase, within months, Ratnayake answered in the affirmative. Ratnayake said that he would resort to legal action if that happened. He questioned the circumstances the other members met President Ranil Wickremesinghe, a few hours before they appeared before the NC.

Ratnayake said that he couldn’t be removed unless approved by 113 members of the parliament.

The Island raised the issues at hand with Mohan Samaranayake, who strongly denied accusations made by the PUCSL Chairman, as regards their response to the Cabinet-of-Ministers reconfirming on January 09, 2023, a decision taken in November last year, to increase electricity tariffs.

“The Cabinet of Ministers, in a note addressed to the PUCSL, advised what was expected of us,” Samaranayake said, emphasising that the PUCSL was not asked to take decisions beyond its mandate. Referring to change of policy guidelines, Samaranayake said that the Cabinet had asked for an interim revision of electricity tariffs, pending a final decision by 15 February 2023, and backdated increase with effect from January 01, 2023.

Having received the Cabinet note, the PUCSL board met on 12 January to discuss its response and it had been agreed to respond in writing, Samaranayake said. “The letter was to be shown to us before dispatching it to the Cabinet. However, the letter dated January 13 was sent on the evening of 16 January,” Samaranayake alleged.

Declaring that the Chairman didn’t have special powers at all, Samaranayake questioned the legality of Janaka Ratnayake signing the letter, on behalf of the entire PUCSL even without showing it to them.

In spite of the PUCSL Chairman repeatedly declaring that he was opposed to the CEB’s pricing formula, the letter addressed to the Cabinet-of-Ministers had not said so, Samaranayake said. What the Chairman really said was that the PUCSL was in the process of reviewing the CEB proposal, Samaranayake said, acknowledging that the interim tariff hike and backdated increase, with effect from 01 January 2023, had been rejected.

Samaranayake, one-time head of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Media Division, said that he had accepted an invitation from President Wickremesinghe. Two other members, too, had received separate invitations and, during discussions with President Wickremesinghe, in the presence of Power Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, the rapidly developing crisis had been explained.

“There was absolutely no basis for claims the President exerted pressure on us,” Samaranayake said.

Responding to another query, Samaranayake said that when Premier Gunawardena and other lawmakers raised the issues at hand, he had explained the situation to them and why they couldn’t agree with the PUCSL Chairman.

Samaranayake alleged that some persons had threatened him and Deputy Chairman Wickramasinghe on the 17th floor of the Merchant Tower Building, Kollupitiya, while they were returning from a special meeting of the PUCSL board, on 21 January.

Chathurika Wijesinghe hadn’t attended that particular meeting as she was out of Colombo, Samaranayake said, adding that several persons confronted them as they arrived at the Bank of Ceylon-owned building for the meeting. “They asked us not to betray the people for perks and privileges,” Samaranayake said. However, after the conclusion of the meeting, there was a group on the 17th floor who acted in a threatening manner and then joined Samaranayake and Wickremesinghe in the elevators, where they warned of consequences if they ‘collaborated’ with the government, Samaranayake said.

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News

Financial contributions received for ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

17 hours ago

2025/12/22

Priyan

The Government’s ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, established to provide relief and support to communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah, continues to receive financial contributions on a daily basis.

Accordingly, the Containers Transport Owners Association made a financial contribution of Rs. 1.5 million, while the Association of SriLankan Airlines Licensed Aircraft Engineers contributed Rs. 1.35 million to the Fund.

The respective cheques were formally presented to the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, at the Presidential Secretariat on Friday (19).

The occasion was attended by W. M. S. K. Manjula, Chairman of the Containers Transport Owners Association, together with Dilip Nihal Anslem Perera and Jayantha Karunadhipathi.

Representing the Association of SriLankan Airlines Licensed Aircraft Engineers were Deshan Rajapaksa, Samudika Perera and Devshan Rodrigo handed over the cheque.

News

UNICEF representatives and PM discuss rebuilding schools affected by the Disaster

Published

17 hours ago

2025/12/22

Priyan

A meeting between Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and a delegation of UNICEF representatives was held on Saturday, (December 20) at the Prime Minister’s Office.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister explained the measures taken by the Government to ensure the protection of the affected student community and to restore the damaged school system, as well as the challenges encountered in this process.

The Prime Minister stated that reopening schools located in landslide-prone areas would be extremely dangerous. Accordingly, the Government is focusing on identifying such schools and relocating them to suitable locations based on scientific assessments.

The Prime Minister further noted that financial assistance has been provided to students affected by the disaster, enabling parents to send their children back to school without an additional financial burden. Emphasizing that school is the safest place for children after their homes, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the school environment would help restore and improve students’ mental well-being

The Prime Minister also highlighted that attention has been given to several key areas, including the relocation of disaster-affected schools, restoration of school infrastructure, merging and operating certain schools jointly, facilitating teaching and learning through digital and technological strategies, and providing special transportation facilities. She emphasized that the Government is examining these issues and is committed to finding long-term solutions.

The UNICEF representatives commended the Government’s commitment and the initiatives undertaken to restore the education sector and assured their support to the Government. Both parties also discussed working together collaboratively on future initiatives.

The meeting was attended by the UNICEF representatives to Sri Lanka Emma Brigham, Lakshmi Sureshkumar, Nishantha Subash, and Yashinka Jayasinghe, along with Secretary to the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwewa, Director of Education Dakshina Kasturiarachchi, Deputy Directors Kasun Gunarathne and Udara Dikkumbura.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

News

NMRA laboratory lacks SLAB accreditation

Published

19 hours ago

2025/12/22

Thilina Walpola

Dr. Sanjeewa

Drug controversy:

“Setting up state-of-the-art drug testing facility will cost Rs 5 billion”

Activists call for legal action against politicians, bureaucrats

Serious questions have been raised over Sri Lanka’s drug regulatory system following revelations that the National Medicines Regulatory Authority’s (NMRA) quality control laboratory is not accredited by the Sri Lanka Accreditation Board (SLAB), casting doubt on both the reliability of local test results and the adequacy of oversight of imported medicines.

Medical and civil rights groups warn that the issue points to a systemic regulatory failure rather than an isolated lapse, with potential political and financial consequences for the State.

Chairman of the Federation of Medical and Civil Rights Professional Associations, Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, said the controversy surrounding the Ondansetron injection, which was later found to be contaminated, had exposed deep weaknesses in drug regulation and quality assurance.

Dr. Sanjeewa said that the manufacturer had confirmed that the drug had been imported into Sri Lanka on four occasions this year, despite later being temporarily withdrawn from use. The drug was manufactured in India in November 2024 and in May and August 2025, and imported to Sri Lanka in February, July and September. On each occasion, 67,600 phials were procured.

Dr. Sanjeewa said the company had informed the NMRA that the drug was tested in Indian laboratories, prior to shipment, and passed all required quality checks. The manufacturer reportedly tested the injections against 10 parameters, including basic quality standards,

pH value, visual appearance, component composition, quantity per phial, sterility levels, presence of other substances, bacterial toxin levels and spectral variations.

According to documents submitted to the NMRA, no bacterial toxins were detected in the original samples, and the reported toxin levels were within European safety limits of less than 9.9 international units per milligram.

Dr. Sanjeewa said the credibility of local regulatory oversight had come under scrutiny, noting that the NMRA’s quality control laboratory was not SLAB-accredited. He said establishing a fully equipped, internationally accredited laboratory would cost nearly Rs. 5 billion.

He warned that the failure to invest in such a facility could have grave consequences, including continued loss of life due to substandard medicines and the inability of the State to recover large sums of public funds paid to pharmaceutical companies for defective drugs.

“If urgent steps are not taken, public money will continue to be lost and accountability will remain elusive,” Dr. Sanjeewa said.

He added that if it was ultimately confirmed that the drug did not contain bacterial toxins at the time it entered Sri Lanka, the fallout would be even more damaging, severely undermining the credibility of the country’s health system and exposing weaknesses in health administration.

Dr. Sanjeewa said public trust in the health sector had already been eroded and called for legal action against all politicians and public officials responsible for regulatory failures linked to the incident.

by Chaminda Silva ✍️