May Day: A celebration of work-BY PRAMOD DE SILVA Source:Sundayobserver Workers around the world celebrate May Day, also known as Labour Day and International Workers’ Day, today. It is a national holiday in more than 80 countries including Sri Lanka and the event is celebrated in some of the most staunchly capitalist countries too. Due to the pandemic restrictions, workers could not celebrate May Day properly during the last two years. This year, with the pandemic on the wane, workers will be able to hold physical (as opposed to virtual) rallies and gatherings. This year too is an incredibly challenging year for workers around the world as the pandemic has put paid to millions of jobs worldwide with companies from airlines to clothing chains virtually closing or winding down their operations in the absence of a market. Only some of these jobs have returned as the economy picks up gradually. ...

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  “HAVE A GOOD HOLIDAY” – By Des Kelly Seems very strange that even as I was thinking about all the public holidays now enjoyed in Australia, Christmas day, Boxing day, New Year’s day, May-day, , the Queen’s birthday, Good Friday, Easter day, Melbourne- Cup day, plus one or three more special days, where everyone in this great big Land celebrates them in their own inimitable fashion.       Then, out of nowhere, I get this copy of the Sri Lankan Government’s Gazette, declaring their Public and Bank Holidays for 2020, showing the full list, which gets me thinking of yet another “title” for our little homeland in the Indian Ocean. Lanka has been proudly called many things, the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, Tear-drop of India, among others, so I have now decided to call her “Holiday-Island”. Here folks, is the reason why.    Desmond Kelly.  (Editor-in-Chief)—eLanka.. Govt issues gazette declaring ...

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