This review of worldwide public holiday news, is a weekly summary the highlights of the past week's worldwide public holidays announcements, which also presents our take on general trends and identifies important announcements that we believe can be expected in the coming weeks.This past week's worldwide public holidays news were dominated by election- and tragedy-related events.
- Samoa: Although it happened late on Friday, May 11, the news of the death of Samoa's King, Malietoa Tanumafili II, one of the world's longest reigning monarchs, only started filtering into the news media early Sunday morning. The announcement of a 2-day public holiday (Thursday-Friday May 17-18) to mourn his passing away was made on Tuesday.
- Pakistan: Late Sunday night, May 13, and following Saturday's previous one-off public holiday and riots, the government of Pakistan's Sindh Province, announced a day of mourning/public holiday for Monday, May 14, 2007. Unfortunately, far from calming tempers, it led to even worse violence on Monday and the ensuing days.
- Nigeria: Not surprisingly, after the tinkering of public holidays that occurred just before last April's elections, the 2 main trade unions have called for a national strike to coincide with the upcoming, May 29, Democracy Day public holiday.
- Algeria: As was rumoured in our report of January, a public holiday was declared in Algeria to stimulate participation in the May 17 parliamentary elections. Unfortunately, participation in these elections remained quite low, at about 30%.
Looking forward, the past week provided us with a few tidbits.
- Ghana: After many years of uncertainty, the Ministry of the Interior finally confirmed that Africa Union Day (May 25) was a statutory holiday for all, throughout Ghana.
- Sudan: The Sudanese First Vice President and president of Southern Sudan government, Salva Kiir Mayadrit, declared that he would introduce legislation to make May 16 a public holiday in the Sudan. However, as the proposed name of that public holiday is SPLA Day, and the SPLA is inextricably linked to the genocide of the black southern populations of the Sudan, one can imagine (hope?) that international events will prevent the occurrence of that public holiday's first occurrence in 2008.
- Luxembourg: Following the dithering of Belgium, concerning what to do about the fact that the Ascension Day public holiday, and the May Day public holiday occur on the same date in 2008, people in neighboring Luxembourg have begun to wonder what would happen in Luxembourg in 2008. As we reported on May 15, it would seem that, legally, the situation is very different in Luxembourg, although, politically, the same remedy (a day in lieu on Friday May 2, 2008) may be required.
- Fiji: Former Vice-President, Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi, called for the creation of a new annual public holiday (probably on May 14) to commemorate the arrival of the first East Indian migrants, from India, 128 years ago.
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