Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe states that the spirit of labor is seen in the ideals of equality, fraternity, and liberty.

In his May Day message, the Premier says one is bound to respect humanity beyond the boundaries of ethnicity and religion whether they work in a farm, factory or technological company.

Wickremesinghe also pledged to create a just society that recognizes the contributions of the workers.

Following is the complete May Day message of the Prime Minister:

“May Day – the international celebration of the working classes – falls this year at a time of great sorrow. We still feel the pain and suffering caused by the atrocious Easter Sunday terror attacks. The destruction was immense, with many innocent lives lost and many seriously wounded. This vile act struck at the heart of our nation, challenging national security, the economy, and our very coexistence. 
            
The impact of this unexpected attack on humanity is colossal and will reverberate for a long time. It struck at a time when we were steering ahead towards sustained development in the backdrop of hard-won peace. We were steadily overcoming socio-economic and political challenges when it occurred. It is clear that the aim of the terrorists was to overturn our achievements and create instability in the country. 

The true spirit of labor is seen in the ideals of equality, fraternity, and liberty. Whether we work in a farm, factory or technological company, we are bound to respect humanity beyond the boundaries of ethnicity and religion. It is only by doing so that we can, individually and collectively, contribute to the socio-economic development of our nation.  

The working masses stand much to gain from peace and reconciliation. Let us be vigilant and not allow evil, fanatical forces to derail the progress we have made so far. We need to stand strong and united to overcome the social, political and economic challenges facing us.

This May Day, we pledge to create a just society that recognizes the contributions of workers. We will uphold the dignity of labor as we move forward healing the wounds of the past and unleashing the potential of our nation.”