President’s May Day Message - 2005 

[May 1, 2005 - 3.00 GMT]

It is with great pleasure that I issue this message of greetings to the working people of Sri Lanka on this May Day; a day designated to honour the workers of the world.

As your new Government has just completed one year in office, we should today recall it was formed after the people of this country rejected a regime that denied the rights of the workers and peasants and pruned the relief granted to the poor. The new Government took steps to restore those denied rights, relief and benefits during the past one year.

In that context significant measures have been put in place for the benefit of the working community. They are the promulgation of a new compensation formula with higher rates of compensation to retrenched employees, the establishment of a Benefit Insurance Scheme for retrenched workers, salary increases to public servants and also legal steps for a corresponding salary increase to the private sector employees, ending political victimization and guaranteeing the rights and safety of expatriate workers.

However, the rehabilitation of large segments of our society affected by the tsunami disaster in December last year, the worst ever catastrophe in the annals of Sri Lanka, and providing them with houses and reconstruction of the devastated infrastructure has become a massive challenge. Besides, the restoration of livelihoods of the self employed and others including those engaged in the fishing industry are essential. It is our duty to remember today the working people and others who died in the tsunami disaster.

I am confident the workers of this land will give their fullest cooperation to the Government in its task of rebuilding the nation though amid various difficulties.

The new government, backed by the dynamic force of the working people of this country, has the strength and the ability to face these challenges.

On this May Day I wish you the working people of Sri Lanka strength and courage to protect the people’s victory and carry it forward.

Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga

 PRINT THIS STORY

Contact Information: Send mail to gosl@presidentsl.org with questions or comments about this web site. 
Last Updated Date: May 1, 2005 - 3.00 GMT