News
Power tariff hike to dominate rallies
View(s):May Day 2013
By Skandha Gunasekera
The recent electricity price hike has emerged as a new issue to be taken up by political parties at this year’s May Day rallies on Wednesday. Among the other problems that will be addressed are the cost of living and failure of the Government to find a political solution to the ethnic issue.
The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), and the Janatha Vimuthi Peramuna (JVP) will hold their rallies in Colombo. The United National Party (UNP) has opted for three meetings at Pitakotte, Kurunegala and Badulla, while the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is expected to convene in Kilinochchi.
The SLFP procession will start at 1.30 p.m. from Nelum Pokuna Avenue, and proceed via Horton Place to Campbell Park, Colombo 8, for the meeting scheduled for 4 p.m., under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The theme is ‘Blue Wave of Development’.
The Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) is the only other parliamentary coalition partner of the UPFA that will join this rally. It will hold a separate procession starting at the Kotte Urban Council grounds, and link up with the main march at Borella.
The MEP will call for reducing wasteful expenditure and for the setting up of productivity committees in State-run corporations. It will also support the strengthening of free health and education services.
The Sri Lanka Mahajana Party and the Desha Vimukthi Mahajana Pakshaya- neither of which are represented in Parliament, will also join the UPFA rally. Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe will first attend the rally in Colombo, to be held opposite Sirikotha, the party headquarters in Pitakotte, at 9 am. He will then proceed to Kurunegala to inaugurate the meeting there, beginning at 3 pm.
The UNP’s theme will be ‘Reasonable Wage for the Working Classes’. The JVP will kick off their procession from S.D.S. Jayasinghe Road, Kalubowila, at noon. The procession will proceed through Sri Saranankara Road to end at the BRC grounds for the rally starting at 4 pm. The theme will be ‘Campaign for Socialism, against Imperialism and Nepotism’.
The party will also address issues such as the electricity price hike, as well as the high cost of living, JVP MP Vijitha Herath said.
The TNA will have its rally in Kilinochchi. They will highlight the hardships faced by Tamils, particularly in the North. This includes aspects such as the high cost of living, the right to life and a political solution to the ethnic problem.
The National Freedom Front (NFF) led by Minister Wimal Weerawansa will start its procession at 1 p.m. from St. John’s School grounds, Dematagoda. The procession will make its way along Baseline Road to converge on P.D. Sirisena grounds in Maligawatte. The NFF’s theme is ‘Defeat the New Campaign for Eelam and Re-awaken the Working Classes’.
The joint Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), Communist Party (CP) and Democratic Left Front (DLF) rally will be at the Kirulapone grounds under the theme of ‘Workers’ Rights and Wages’. Minister D.E.W Gunasekara said the electricity price hike will also be addressed.
The Democratic People’s Front (DPF) will have a rally in Hatton and another in Colombo, backed by trade unions representing plantation workers. In Colombo, the DPF will be joined by the National Unity Alliance as well as the Nava Sama Samaja Party. They will campaign against racism and religious fundamentalism.
The Ceylon Workers Congress rally will be in Nuwara Eliya on the theme of better housing and living conditions for plantation workers. The procession will start at 1 pm. Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) General Secretary, Hassen Ali said the party traditionally did not hold May Day rallies. But SLMC leader, Minister Rauf Hakeem, might attend meetings organised by other parties, he said.
Police Spokesman Buddhika Siriwardhana said over 2,500 police personnel—both uniformed and in civies—will be deployed to maintain law and order.
Follow @timesonlinelk
comments powered by Disqus