May Day rally SLFP CC to activate its people’s representatives

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Central Committee will write to the SLFP people’s representatives, including ministers and MPS, informing them that it was mandatory to participate in the party’s May Day rally in Kandy, State Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said yesterday.

He said the SLFP CC, which met on Sunday presided by SLFP Chairman and President Maithripala Sirisena, also decided that at its next meeting, it would decide on the action to be taken against those who did not participate in the rally.

The state minister said the District Organizers and SLFP ministers briefed the President on the steps taken to ensure the maximum participation at the May Day rally.

He said some 2,300 buses would be booked to facilitate supporters’ attendance at the rally.

“We expect thousands of people especially from the neighbouring districts such as Nuwara Eliya and Kurunegala to turn up in Kandy to participate in our May Day rally,” the state minister said.

He urged the SLFP people’s representatives to rally round the party whatever the differences and said the next month the President would take important decisions to strengthen the party and the government on matters concerning the economy, politics and administration.

Commenting on the trade union action launched by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Trade Unions, the state minister said the government had not decided to hand over the Trincomalee oil tanks to India as claimed by the trade unions and as such there was no basis for TU action.