The forgotten Labour Leader

Ms Jasmine, granddaughter of A.E. Gunasinha, who was a pioneering trade union leader known as the ‘Father of the Labour Movement’ in Sri Lanka paying a floral tribute at the A.E. Gunasinha statue at Gunasinghepura yesterday. May 1st also marked the 131th birth anniversary of A.E. Gunasinha. Late President Ranasinghe Premadasa’s mentor was A.E. Gunasinha. However, it seems the Labour Leaders of our country have forgotten A.E. Gunasinghe. The annual commemorative event held at his statue in Colombo to mark International Labour Day (May 1st) to honour the great man was a non-event, this year. The remnants of the garland placed on the statue on May Day last year was seeing hanging by a thread. Is this the gratitude shown to this pioneering Trade Union Leader?

Picture by Gayan Pushpika