PUCSL member exits with serious allegations against Chairman

• Mohan Samaranayake claims humiliation, risk to life; charges work style of PUCSL Chairman Ratnayake highly unprofessional and violates Act

Communication Specialist Mohan Samaranayake in quitting the Public Utilities Commission (PUCSL) has made serious charges against Chairman Janaka Ratnayake.

The Daily FT exclusively reported Samaranayake along with Deputy Chairman Engineer Udeni Wickramasinghe tendered their resignation on Thursday.  

In his letter to the appointing authority Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies Ranil Wickremesinghe who is also the President, Samaranayake listed four reasons which forced him to resign.

He alleged that the work environment and the work style of PUCSL has become highly unprofessional, unpleasant and intolerable. The situation has degenerated to such an extent that on 20 January 2023 when a special meeting of the Commission was held, a group of thugs was organised and allowed inside the Commission premises who indirectly threatened him (Samaranayake) with physical assault and destruction of property. 

This act of hooliganism was justified by insinuation by PUCSL Chairman at the National Council Meeting held in Parliament on 24 January 2023 with the participation of members of the Commission.

“Ratnayake’s justification of threats against me indicates that I run the risk of being threatened and even assaulted in future,” Samaranayake claimed.

He also said that PUCSL Chairman violating the Section 9 (5) of the PUCSL Act continued to make decisions and statements purported to be that of the Commission without the concurrence of the rest of the members thereby making other members redundant

“I have been humiliated and painted a villain before society,” charged Samaranayake.

He also cited the failure on the part of the Government authorities to counter legal and other arguments against the proposed electricity tariff hike with irrefutable facts, leaving people in a quandary.

“Given above are only a few of the examples of the absurd situation in the Commission. In this situation leaves no other option for me except quitting,” Samaranayake’s letter stated.

Apart from Chairman Ratnayake, the other sole member of PUCSL is lawyer Chathurika Wijesinghe.