May Day messages

Govt has restored denied rights, relief and benefits - President

THE Government has taken steps to restore denied rights, relief and benefits during the past one year, President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said in a May Day message.

The message: "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 the 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 victimisation 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 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."

UPFA dedicated to rights of working people - PM

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse in a May Day message states:

"I convey my tribute to the working people of Sri Lanka on this May Day, on which, we remember the victory of the working people who have won a large number of rights by sacrificing their lives.

"It is through creative labour that the world strides forward. The world belongs to the people who shed their sweat. Further, the struggles they had done to secure their due place have been immense.

The sacrifices they have made were enormous. The victories the working class has gained through the trade union movement are tremendous.

"It is the duty and the responsibility of a progressive government to take action to protect the rights of the working people and also to secure the rights that have been achieved. The people's government formed under the leadership of S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike in 1956 had realised this responsibility and acted accordingly.

"Today, the United People's Freedom Alliance Government therefore is dedicated to the rights of the working people and their prosperity. It is not necessary to stress that the dedication of the working people is an essential element in expediting the economic development of the country, while securing their rights.

"It is through enormous constraints that we have to foster as a country and as a nation. We are engaged in onerous duty of rebuilding the country by overcoming all these constraints.

Constraints imposed by tsunami disaster, witch has caused an unprecedented catastrophe in the history, towards the advancement of the country are enormous. We are in the process of taking steps to restore the working people, including those involved in fishing industry, who have been suffering due to the disaster.

No country possesses another resource comparable to the human resource.

Therefore, it is with great responsibility that I state that we do not hesitate to take any step to safeguard and develop this invaluable resource.

While securing our rights, let us contribute to the supreme duty of rebuilding our country. Let us take the country forward, leaving behind all the differences which can be political, racial, religious, caste etc, and act like the children of one mother.

Let us join together to build a prosperous, self-sufficient country."

One people - one country

Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana, Senior Vice President of SLFP and Vice President of Sri Lanka Nidhahas Sevaka Sangamaya:

"It's very heartening for me to take active participation at May Day Rallies for well-over 47 long years. May Day signified the status of worker and accords festival atmosphere for all peoples to rejoice over dignity and decorum that the working people deserve.

History has taught us the agony of the workers who did not have any way to ameliorate their sufferings. The capital class always used to juice the essence and throw the pulps away.

They were never considered workers as humans who too have feelings and who too have desires. Their pets were well off than their workers.

All these were changed with the "Chicago Struggle". Though the workers in other countries were beginning to enjoy their just rights, yet Sri Lankan workers were reeling under the obnoxious of Laws of the Capitalist Government until the advent of S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike's Premiership. All changed for better in 1956.

The workers were getting their dues one by one. It is the nature's trend that all needs cannot be granted instantly. The process initiated by the Patriarch of Sri Lankan politics S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike was ably continued by his erstwhile widow Sirimavo Bandaranaike with the scope being enlarged.

Now it has fallen on his illustrious daughter Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga to fulfil all the pledges given then. She has cast upon herself the role of uniting every segment of the society to feel that he/she belongs to this "Blessed Isle" and we have as other country other then Sri Lanka.

She tries to inculcate in everybody's mind that each and everyone has a role to play in the progress of the Nation. It is true that the "Vested Interests" would not want justice meted out to all so that country could be spared of conflicts. They fire from all fronts.

Negligible difference of opinions among the constituent parties of the Government are highlighted so that issue could bring disaster to the working class and the noble vision of One Country - One People."

CPSL conveys fraternal greetings the world over

D.E.W. Gunasekera, General Secretary, Communist Part of Sri Lanka:

"On this significant day commemorating the heroic struggle of May, 1886, for an 8-hour working day, the Communist Party of Sri Lanka conveys its fraternal greetings to the working people, the world over.

It extends its solidarity with the people who are struggling against exploitation, war and oppression. It salutes all those engaged in worldwide mass protests against neo-liberal policies imposed by the Imperialist agencies.

It greets, with a profound feeling of fraternity, the people of China, Vietnam, Cuba, North Korea and Laos, who have made significant victories in social progress undeterred by setbacks, sanctions and intrigues.

It notes with deep admiration the giant strides in the economic sphere secured by the people of China, India, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela etc. decisively exerting an impact on the unipolarity of the world order and a change in the world balance of forces.

The Communist Party reiterates its commitment to a policy seeking a political solution to the national question through a negotiated settlement and calls upon all the political parties to strive hard to bring about a national consensus on the final solution to this question.

The unprecedented catastrophe caused by the recent Tsunami altered the order of priorities bringing the urgent need for speedy rehabilitation work to the fore causing delays in the implementation of the new economic strategy.

The Communist Party of Sri Lanka calls upon the authorities to implement the new economic strategy relentlessly and courageously which alone could guarantee increase of government revenue, expansion of social sectors and reduction of poverty and unemployment.

The Communist Party of Sri Lanka expresses its determination to frustrate and defeat all subtle and sinister moves to privatize power, oil, transport etc.

It calls upon the progressive force to exercise utmost vigilance over political intrigues and conspiracies by forces of reaction aimed at destabilization of the country.

On this May Day, let us pledge ourselves to organize all those workers hitherto unorganized and to equip those already organized ideologically so as to lead them in the future struggles against neo-liberal policies."

CWC has embarked on innovative program

Ceylon Workers' Congress President/General Secretary Arumugan Thondaman:

"May Day 2005 looks back on one of the most tragic natural disasters that the country had experienced on December 26, 2004 due to the tsunami tidal wave.

Whilst extending renewed commiserations to families who had lost their near and dear sustained loss of belongings we have to record that the plantation workers responded magnificently to our appeal to donate a days wage to assist the tsunami victims.

By way of a rapid response, we were able to render much needed material assistance to the affected people in Batticaloa through our own resources and the resources made available to us by the Asian Regional Organisation of the International Confederation of the Free Trade Union.

On this workers day it is note worthy to record that the world Free Trade Union movement rallied support for tsunami victims on a spontaneous out burst of compassion and material support.

May Day 2005 has also have continued to put up challenges to the working people, as a result of globalisation and the rapid strides met by the information technology.

Therefore whilst we extend warm fraternal greetings to the workers all over who will celebrate May Day 2005 as also paying homage to the pioneers of the Trade Union Movement who had contributed so much for the socio- economic, civic and political rights of the working class.

In so-far-as the CWC is concerned, we have embarked on an innovative program to empower young people of both sexes to strive for economic independence and social enhancement.

We plans to achieve this objective by the establishment of Micro Economic Centres complete with I.T. net work systems to engage in well developed industrial projects on a sustainable basis.

We are convinced the need of the hour is to invest on Human Capital and harness the reservoir of youth power available on the plantations to be engaged in productive and gainful employment.

In this regard, it is with justifiable pride that we recall the yeoman services rendered to the working class by our late Leader Sauviamoorthy Thondaman in whose memory we have now been able to introduce a Bill in Parliament under the name and style of Savumiamoorthy Thondaman Memorial Foundation whose objectives include the enhancement of the Socio Economic and Cultural advancement of the plantation community.

These are some of the innovative programs the CWC is targeting to achieve during the ensuing period and we are thankful to President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga for concurring with our aspirations in respect of the Savumiamoorthy Thondaman Memorial Foundation."