May Day celebrations rescheduled for May 7

The government has decided to hold this year’s May Day rally to May 7 instead of May 1 on the advice of the Maha Nayake Theras, Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister Wajira Abeywardene said today.

He said this at the National District Secretary’s Convention in Colombo last afternoon.

The Minister said that instead of May 1, May 7 would be declared a public and mercantile holiday this year and that this was decided by the Cabinet last afternoon.

The Maha Nayaka Theras had advised not to have political rallies and processions on May 1 because of Vesak celebrations. Vesak Poya falls on April 29 and 30 this year. (Yohan Perera)