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May Day: 10 processions and over 16 rallies

Almost all the functioning political parties and a number of trade unions celebrate May Day today with ten processions and over 16 rallies throughout the country. Sri Lanka Freedom Party led Freedom Alliance (UPFA) will hold their rally at the Galle Face Green after the public march from Campbell Park with the participation of the UPFA leaders. The march will commence at 12 noon from Campbell Park and is expected to reach Galle Face Green, via Borella, Maradana, Technical Junction and Pettah. This year's theme is "National Unity for the Country's Development".

The UNP meeting will be held at the Town Hall Colombo at 4.00 pm under the patronage of party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. Their rally will start from Sugathadasa Stadium at 1.00 pm and will arrive at the Town Hall via Sangaraja Mawatha and Borella. Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna will hold its rally at BRC Grounds. Party leaders, members and supporters will reach the BRC Grounds from the S.De S.Jayasinghe Grounds, Dehiwala.

The Ceylon Workers Congress will hold its rally in Nuwara Eliya instead of Kotagala. CWC leader Arumugam Thondaman will preside over the event while the rally will be addressed by CWC stalwarts and foreign delegates. CWC members from all the districts will attend the rally.

The Upcountry Workers' Front will be in Badulla under the presidentship of its leader P. Chandrasekaran. Party leaders and provincial level representatives are due to address the meeting.

The National Workers Congress along with the All Ceylon Federation of Free Trade Unions and its affiliated sectoral unions will commemorate Workers' Day at their Workers' Centre, Dehiwala.

National Development Front will also hold its May Day at the D. S. Senanayake Memorial Library, Kandy at 1.00 pm. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Deshapremi Peramuna has cancelled their May Day celebrations but will hold a Bodhi Pooja instead at Jayasekararama Temple at Kuppiyawatta.

A united May Day celebration will also take place at Price Park, Gunsinghapura with the collaboration of 40 trade unions. Government Clerical Services Trade Union celebrates May Day at their head office and the Sri Lanka Pragathisheeli Peramuna will hold its May Day Celebrations at the YMCA Hall, Fort.

Foreign Ministry sponsors tsunami housing project

Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar laid the foundation stone for a housing project in Walahanduwa, in Akmeemana, Galle, for tsunami affected families, on Thursday 28th April, invited by Urban Development and Water Supply Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. This project will be carried out by the Urban Development and Water Supply Ministry and will be funded by donations collected by the Foreign Affairs Ministry and Sri Lanka Missions abroad after the tsunami disaster.

Over 600 million rupees were collected through Sri Lanka Missions with the generous contributions from members of the public and well-wishers abroad, both Sri Lankan and foreign, following the tsunami disaster. This money will be entirely utilized for providing permanent housing for tsunami affected families.

The Walahanduwa project is only a part of this wider plan to provide housing to people affected by the disaster in the northern, eastern and southern areas of the country.

Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony, Minister Kadirgamar said Rs. 600 million would fund the construction of over 1000 houses in separate complexes comprising approximately 200 houses each. Minister Kadirgamar said it was a very special occasion for the Foreign Ministry where it was able to do something with direct impact upon the people of the country, although it was unfortunate that it had to be under such tragic circumstances. The Minister emphasized the responsibility of ensuring that this 600 million, which was given by ordinary people abroad, be spent for the benefit of people affected by the disaster without any kind of discrimination.

The Minister added that the special unit within the Foreign Ministry set up for this purpose would be coordinating the progress of the construction project with the Ministry of Urban Development and Water Supply. He further expressed the hope that the project, once started, would proceed without undue delay and said that it would be a happy moment when the families actually take possession of the completed houses.

Urban Development and Water Supply Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister Amarasiri Dodangoda, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Chandrasena Wijesinghe, as well as officials of Foreign Affairs and Urban Development and Water Supply Ministries and members of the tsunami affected families in the area also participated at the simple ceremony.

Kahlid