Here are views of a cross section of political and trade union leaders.

Burden on middle class heavy

General Secretary, Communist Party of Sri Lanka.D. E. W. Gunasekera,

Q: You have said that May Day should be commemorated in its true spirit. Can you elaborate?

A: The working class of yester year has made tremendous sacrifices on May Day.

Today the working class has to putup with harsh realities.

The average worker is at the receiving end in the midst of a global crisis. Political unrest, war, unsteady economies and global warming have toughened the burden on the working class.

Demands of private sector employees must be met

General Secretary Sri Lanka Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya. Leslie Devendra,

Q: What is May Day in aid of?

A: May Day is an important day not only for the working class but also for the entire country. In Sri Lanka, although the 30 year LTTE terror has been eliminated, local and international separatist elements are active in pursuing their hidden agenda. It is our duty to rally round the Government to consolidate our hard-won victory. The problems of the Northern and Eastern people need an early solution.

We have secured quite a number of benefits for public sector employees by way of negotiations. The situation with regard to the four million private sector work force is different. Although the Government has agreed to their demands in principle bureaucracy has stood in their way. Our cherished duty on May Day is to defeat such impediments and secure the just demands of private sector employees.

Socialist policies

Secretary, Nawa Samasamaja Party Dr. Wickramabahu Karunaratna.

Q: What are the demands of your left alliance this time?

A: A political solution for Tamil people, Rs. 5000 salary increase for the private and public sector and free political prisoners are our demands.

Since the capitalist economies have faced a serious crisis a solution has to be found in socialism. Sri Lanka has no choice other than pursuing socialist policies to solve the crisis.