The May Day show

Wednesday, 2 May 2012 00:05 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka’s May Day celebrations have long been hijacked by politicians and as with almost everything that falls into their hands, it has become twisted and meaningless entertainment.

Distinctive red CTB buses flocked to Colombo on Tuesday carrying thousands of supporters for the Government, which pulled out all the stops to hold the biggest possible rally at Town Hall. People in bright blue T-shirts emblazoned with their village names and preferred politicians thronged streets and blocked up traffic and crucial nerve centres while employees who had to work, despite the day being ostensibly in their honour, were reduced to waiting endlessly inside sweltering busses.

Despite the Government declaring liquor shops shut in areas that featured May Day rallies, it was clear that the beverage was in full flow for participants, with many people wheeling about and almost getting into fights. Since this was May Day entertainment, there were plenty who had decided to have a holiday in Colombo, using the chance for free transport and food. Several participants were spotted trying to find places of interest such as the Gangaramaya Temple, while others sang and played musical instruments on their way to the rallies.

This significant waste of public money to celebrate May Day is such a common occurrence that it was not even noted by anyone. Moreover, what harm is there in giving the people a bit of entertainment for their day? After all, they return to the bottom of the power pyramid after the stroke of midnight. So the people made merry and made the best out of a day that was never meant for them in the first place.

For, if May Day was meant to be meaningful, it would require overhauling constraints to fair and competent labour practices as mentioned in this column previously. Even President Mahinda Rajapaksa ignored these issues in his May Day message, preferring to focus on lobbying the public to remain steadfast behind the Government to achieve national unity.

While this goal is laudable, national unity cannot be achieved by mere lip service to the Government. There must be engagement with stakeholders, respect for law and order and independence of institutions as well as room for reform. Without these key aspects, the working class will remain subjugated and unable to fulfil their full potential or achieve their aspirations. Using the working class to bolster political support and defend against “international conspiracies” will not serve them.

An estimated 196 million people were unemployed worldwide at the end of last year, forecast to rise to 202 million in 2012 for a rate of 6.1 per cent, according to the United Nations agency’s annual flagship report, ‘World of Work Report 2012’. Youth jobless rates have soared, increasing the risk of social unrest, especially in parts of Africa and the Middle East.

At home, youth unemployment has risen to 19 per cent and as economic struggles push up the cost of living, workers of every age range are affected. Therefore, it is time for political posturing to be set aside and working standards improved so that Sri Lanka’s development becomes inclusive and sustainable as well as rooted in reality. This calls for empowering of workers, which is a commitment that reaches further than entertaining them.