brand logo

SPC’s MD to resign mid November; Chairman to retire

20 Oct 2021

  • Prez accepts Chair’s resignation but asks to find replacement first
  • SPC MD refutes claim of clash with Minister
BY Buddhika Samaraweera State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) Managing Director (MD) Lalith Jayakody has decided to resign from his post with effect from 15 November, while SPC Chairman Dr. Prasanna Gunasena is to retire within a period of a month, The Morning learnt. Speaking to The Morning, Jayakody said that he has submitted the letter of resignation to the State Ministry of Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals, becoming the latest in a series of recent resignations of top-level government officials in several sectors. Meanwhile, The Morning learnt that Dr. Gunasena has informed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa that he wants to retire from said post. According to sources, the President has not objected to his decision, but has asked him to find a replacement. Accordingly, Dr. Gunasena has decided to postpone the retirement by one month, and within the course of that period, he is to find a replacement for the position. It is reported that Jayakody and Dr. Gunasena had joined the SPC at the same time and had planned to leave together. However, they had, it is learnt, stayed on with the intention of carrying out the Covid-19 vaccination programme to a satisfactory level. Furthermore, media reports were seen circulating to the effect that the duo had decided to resign due to an alleged controversy with a minister. However, Jayakody refuted such reports. When contacted by The Morning, State Ministry of Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Secretary Dr. R.M.S.K. Rathnayake said that neither Jayakody nor Dr. Gunasena has submitted a letter of resignation as of last (19) afternoon. “We have not been notified so far,” he noted. Multiple attempts to contact Dr. Gunasena proved futile. Several top-level government officials of other sectors too recently resigned from their posts. Claiming that he has come under pressure from certain politicians when carrying out his duties relating to the activities of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) independently, CAA Executive Director Thushan Gunawardena resigned from the post last month. On 15 September, Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) Chairman Dr. Jatal Mannapperuma tendered his resignation from the post, citing “several reasons” for his decision. However, sources indicated that Dr. Mannapperuma was unhappy about several decisions taken by those above him with regard to the agricultural sector and the current trajectory of the sector. Two other high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Agriculture have, in the recent past, resigned within a short period of about seven months. Former Ministry of Agriculture Secretary Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Sumedha Perera resigned last February, citing personal reasons, and subsequently Rohana Pushpakumara was appointed to the post. However, after serving in the post for a short period of about four months, Pushpakumara also resigned from the post on 5 June 2021, after which Prof. Udith K. Jayasinghe-Mudalige was appointed. Recently, Department of National Zoological Gardens Director General Ishini Wickremesinghe resigned from said post. Association of Medical Specialists of Sri Lanka (AMS) Executive Committee Member and Senior Consultant Anaesthetist Dr. Asoka Gunaratne also resigned from the Covid-19 Technical Committee of the Ministry of Health, which is tasked with making recommendations with regard to the Covid-19 pandemic control measures. This came in the wake of the resignation of National Institute of Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) Senior Consultant Physician Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama from the same Committee.


More News..