The Chief Operating Officer of the Pelwatte unit of Lanka Sugar Company (Pvt) Ltd, Nuwan Dharmaratne, has tendered his resignation, with his departure set to take effect on June 27, 2025.
Dharmaratne, who held the position for eight months, cited a directive from Industries Minister Sunil Handunnetti as the reason for his resignation.
The directive reportedly followed a post made by Dharmaratne on his personal Facebook account.
In his resignation letter, Dharmaratne noted, “At a time when the local sugar industry is in serious decline, the deeper meaning of my statement will soon be understood by you, the Honorable President, and your senior government officials.”
The post in question has not been publicly detailed, and neither the Ministry of Industries nor Lanka Sugar Company has issued an official comment regarding the matter.
Dharmaratne was appointed to the role by former Industries Minister Vijitha Herath. His brief tenure came during a period of mounting concern over the sustainability and direction of the domestic sugar sector.
The state-owned Pelwatte Sugar is teetering on the edge of collapse, burdened by a stockpile of over 16,500 metric tonnes of unsold brown sugar and a policy environment that is crippling domestic production.
The resignation has raised questions about freedom of expression among public officials and the broader climate of administrative decision-making within state enterprises.
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