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A govt. built and protected by the people now delivering to the people, says President at May Day rally
View(s):Corruption and mismanagement weakening state institutes: Sajith hits out at SJB rally
Political parties and trade unions across the country commemorated International Workers Day (May Day) on Friday, with rallies and gatherings. There were colourful displays as people marched across the country, clad mainly in red, to commemorate the day.
The largest rallies were held by the ruling National People’s Power (NPP) with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressing two rallies, one in Nuwara Eliya and one in Maharagama. They also held district level meetings across the country with cabinet ministers in attendance.
The main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) held its May Day celebrations in Colombo while most others also gathered in different venues in Colombo.
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- SLFP old guards: Chamara Sampath and Nimal Siripala de Silva at the party’s rally at Campbell Park. Pic by Eshan Fernando
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- NPP rally, Maharagama: Each to their own, Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake
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- A cry of support for the NPP (left) and security at the Maharagama rally. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
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- Mahinda Rajapaksa engages in religious observances at the pinkama conducted by the SLPP at the Kelaniya temple
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- Dramatic display: The Front Line Socialist party rally at Hyde Park. Pic by Indika Handuwala
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- SJB rally at Maligawatta. Pic by Indika Handuwala
President Dissanayake in his speeches said that his government has secured “an unprecedented level of public trust and confidence,” asserting that it is “a government that has been built by the people, protected by the people, and is now delivering benefits to the people.”
Outlining the administration’s policy direction, the President said it had shifted decision-making in favour of ordinary citizens, stating, “We have made two types of decisions: Decisions for the people, and decisions that reduce the privileges of those in power.” He added, “We are reducing the privileges of rulers and improving the lives of the working class,” pointing to measures including increased plantation wages and targeted relief for vulnerable sectors.
On law enforcement, President Dissanayake said action against organised crime and corruption had been intensified, declaring, “2026 will go down in Sri Lanka’s history as the year when corrupt individuals, fraudsters, and thieves were sent to prison.” He stressed accountability across all political ranks, stating, “The law applies equally to all.”
He also outlined ongoing efforts in housing, education and infrastructure, particularly in the hill country, while expressing confidence in the government’s long-term stability. “It cannot be shaken for decades,” he said, adding, “This government is protected by the people.”
SJB leader Sajith Premadasa addressing his Party’s May Day rally in Maligawatta said that the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led government, had weakened state institutions and was responsible for various instances of mismanagement and corruption, including issues related to the port and coal imports,
He added that without the SJB and its allied political movements, several issues affecting schoolchildren, port operations, and the power sector would not have been addressed. He alleged that billions in state funds would otherwise have been misappropriated.
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