A few months ago, Sri Lankans were not expecting to celebrate this year’s Sinhala and Hindu New Year festive season with no electricity, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), other essentials such as certain food stuffs, and peace of mind. However, the situation is such that the majority of the population will have to refrain from celebrating and instead spend the New Year season in dire situations that they did not anticipate.
It is in this context that the Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils, and Local Government Ministry yesterday (7), announced that 11 and 12 April have been declared as public holidays.
Right off the bat, this decision gives an impression that crisis-ridden Sri Lankans are being given an opportunity by the Government to take some time off. While declaring two holidays right before the New Year, which falls on 13 and 14 April, may seem to be an attractive and a people-friendly move, it is important to question what it means to the country.
Sri Lanka is a country that enjoys one of the highest numbers of holidays in the world, and reducing the number of public and mercantile holidays is a discussion that has been going on for a long time. It is also noteworthy that 11 and 12 April were declared public holidays in a context where 15, 16, and 17 April also remain public holidays due to being Good Friday and the weekend. At a time when the country is desperately in need of more contributions from the country’s workforce, not only do these public holidays seem redundant, but they also amount to an act that prolongs the halt of the country’s production, which was earlier to be limited to just three days, up to five days.
Moreover, we should not forget the circumstances under which these public holidays were declared. The country is going through its worst economic crisis in recent history, and the people are furious and anxious. When looking at how the Government responded to the people’s struggles, we cannot believe that the Government declared these public holidays because it cared about the people.
In this context, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the newly declared public holidays will have a significant impact on the ongoing protests and other activities concerning the economic situation and against the Government.
One thing that can be expected next week, during the holidays, is people looking for some solace, given the amount of pressure that they are going through and the fact that the NewYear is the biggest celebration for the majority of Sri Lankans. People are likely to go out of the Colombo District during this season, especially in a context where a large number of tourist destinations located outside the Colombo District have reduced their rates due to the decline in foreign tourists, in a bid to attract local tourists. This likely trend can have an impact on the ongoing protests, especially those being held in the Colombo, Gampaha, and Kalutara Districts in the Western Province, the three areas where a majority of the protests are being held compared to other areas of the country.
At a time when the entire country is questioning the Government’s conduct, it is crucial to carefully assess the intentions of the Government when it declares two days holidays, which are followed by five holidays including a weekend, and are preceded by another weekend. If this is in fact another attempt by the Government to weaken the ongoing protests, that raises the serious concern as to whether the Government is still not ready to address the people’s genuine issues and whether it is being creative by providing a temporary distraction dressed up as a people-friendly decision. If that is the case, this is a bait, and an immature move.A ‘strategic’ holiday
07 Apr 2022
A ‘strategic’ holiday
07 Apr 2022
A few months ago, Sri Lankans were not expecting to celebrate this year’s Sinhala and Hindu New Year festive season with no electricity, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), other essentials such as certain food stuffs, and peace of mind. However, the situation is such that the majority of the population will have to refrain from celebrating and instead spend the New Year season in dire situations that they did not anticipate.
It is in this context that the Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils, and Local Government Ministry yesterday (7), announced that 11 and 12 April have been declared as public holidays.
Right off the bat, this decision gives an impression that crisis-ridden Sri Lankans are being given an opportunity by the Government to take some time off. While declaring two holidays right before the New Year, which falls on 13 and 14 April, may seem to be an attractive and a people-friendly move, it is important to question what it means to the country.
Sri Lanka is a country that enjoys one of the highest numbers of holidays in the world, and reducing the number of public and mercantile holidays is a discussion that has been going on for a long time. It is also noteworthy that 11 and 12 April were declared public holidays in a context where 15, 16, and 17 April also remain public holidays due to being Good Friday and the weekend. At a time when the country is desperately in need of more contributions from the country’s workforce, not only do these public holidays seem redundant, but they also amount to an act that prolongs the halt of the country’s production, which was earlier to be limited to just three days, up to five days.
Moreover, we should not forget the circumstances under which these public holidays were declared. The country is going through its worst economic crisis in recent history, and the people are furious and anxious. When looking at how the Government responded to the people’s struggles, we cannot believe that the Government declared these public holidays because it cared about the people.
In this context, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the newly declared public holidays will have a significant impact on the ongoing protests and other activities concerning the economic situation and against the Government.
One thing that can be expected next week, during the holidays, is people looking for some solace, given the amount of pressure that they are going through and the fact that the NewYear is the biggest celebration for the majority of Sri Lankans. People are likely to go out of the Colombo District during this season, especially in a context where a large number of tourist destinations located outside the Colombo District have reduced their rates due to the decline in foreign tourists, in a bid to attract local tourists. This likely trend can have an impact on the ongoing protests, especially those being held in the Colombo, Gampaha, and Kalutara Districts in the Western Province, the three areas where a majority of the protests are being held compared to other areas of the country.
At a time when the entire country is questioning the Government’s conduct, it is crucial to carefully assess the intentions of the Government when it declares two days holidays, which are followed by five holidays including a weekend, and are preceded by another weekend. If this is in fact another attempt by the Government to weaken the ongoing protests, that raises the serious concern as to whether the Government is still not ready to address the people’s genuine issues and whether it is being creative by providing a temporary distraction dressed up as a people-friendly decision. If that is the case, this is a bait, and an immature move.Kapruka
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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!