Cuba Declares Good Friday Public Holiday

Sources: Consejo de Ministros de Cuba (La Habana) and Cuban bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Cuba's Council of Ministers has issued a communique indicating that, as recently requested by Pope Benedict XVI, it had decided to declare Friday, April 6, 2012, the date of the upcoming Good Friday holiday, as a one-off non-working public holiday (receso laboral) in Cuba. [full story]

Nigerian Easter 2012 Public Holidays

Sources: Official Gazette of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Abuja) and Nigerian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Minister of Interior of the Federal Government of Nigeria, Abba Moro, has announced that the Nigerian Government had declared Friday, April 6, and Monday, April 9, 2012, as non-working public holidays to to commemorate this year's upcoming Easter celebrations. [full story]

Bolivian Easter 2012 Public Holidays

Sources: Ministerio de Trabajo, Empleo y Previsión Social (La Paz) and Bolivia bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Bolivia's Minister of Labour, Daniel Santalla, announced that the upcoming Easter public holidays in Bolivia would once again begin on the afternoon of Maundy Thursday, with Good Friday (April 6, 2012) having been declared a national public holiday (feriado nacional). [full story]

Nepalese 2012-2013 Public Holidays Gazetted

Sources: नेपाली गृह मंत्रालय के मंत्रालय (Kathmandu) and Nepalese bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The government of Nepal has finally gazetted the list of official non-working public holidays in Nepal for the Nepalese year 2069 (April 2012-April 2013). [full story]

Sri Lanka Additional Public Holiday May 7

Sources: இலங்கை ஒலிபரப்புக் கூட்டுத்தாபனம் (SLBC) and Sri Lanka bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Sri Lankan Government Information Department has announced that Monday, May 7, 2012, had been declared a one-off public holiday throughout Sri Lanka. [full story]

Australia Renames Foundation Day Public Holiday

Sources: The Parliament of Western Australia (Perth) and Australian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Yesterday, the Parliament of Western Australia finally passed a 4-year-old private member bill that will rename the annual "Foundation Day" non-working state public holiday as "WA Day", effective immediately. [full story]

Cuban Public Holiday For Good Friday ?

Sources: ACI Prensa (La Habana) and Cuban bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Yesterday, during his meeting with Cuban President, Raúl Castro, Pope Benedict XVI requested that Good Friday be declared another annual non-working public holiday in Cuba. [full story]

Ghana Public Holidays April 6 and 9

Sources: Ghana Government Portal (Accra) and Ghana bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Ghana's Minister of the Interior, William K. Aboah, has announced that Friday, April 6, and Monday, April 9, 2012, had been declared non-working statutory public holidays in Ghana to commemorate the upcoming holidays of Good Fridays and Easter Monday. [full story]

Turks and Caicos 2012 Public Holidays Amended

Sources: The TCI Journal (Grand Turk) and Turks and Caicos bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Ric Todd, has amended the list of official non-working public holidays in the Turks and Caicos Islands, for the calendar year 2012, with the addition of a non-working public holiday for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. [full story]

Chile Votes New July Public Holiday

Sources: Tramitación de proyectos (Congreso Nacional de Chile) and Chile bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Chile's lower house of Parliament (Cámara de Diputados) has approved a bill which would add a fifth "irrenunciable" non-working public holiday to be observed on the last Sunday of July to commemorate family day (Día de las Familias). [full story]

Slovenian Public Holidays Cut

Sources: Slovenska tiskovna agencija (Ljubljana) and Slovenia bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Slovenian Prime Minister, Janez Jansa, has announced that the government of Slovenia was considering cutting 2 of the 14 annual Slovenian non-working public holidays as part of its current set of austerity measures. [full story]

Honduras October 29 Public Holiday Bill

Sources: La Tribuna (Tegucigalpa) and Honduras bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). A bill has been introduced in Honduras' parliament which would create another new annual non-working public holiday in Honduras on October 29 to commemorate the Day of Chinese Culture (Día de la Cultura China). [full story]

Argentina Bill To Cap Public Holidays

Sources: Parlamentario (Buenos Aires) and Argentina bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). A bill (proyecto de ley) has been introduce in Argentina's lower house of Congress by MP Enrique Thomas which would limit the number of national non-working public holidays in Argentina to 15 in any given year. [full story]

Iraqi Public Holidays March 26-30

Sources: أصوات العراق (Baghdad) and Iraqi bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Iraqi Federal Government has finally announced that the whole of next week (March 26-30, 2012) would be one-off non-working public holidays due to the upcoming Arab Summit. [full story]

Costa Rican Public Sector Holidays March 31-April 8

Sources: La Nación (San José) and Costa Rican bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Costa Rica's Minister of Labour has announced that Costa Rican public sector workers and government agencies would also benefit from public holidays during the entire upcoming Holy Week, that is to say, from Saturday, March 31, until Sunday, April 8, 2012, inclusively. [full sotry]

Iranian 2012-2013 Public Holidays Announced

Sources: وب سایت رسمی مجلس ایران (Majlis) and Iran public holidays (qppstudio.net). Iran's Islamic Consultative Assembly has released the recently-approved the list of official public holidays in Iran for the Persian year 1391, running from March 20, 2012, to March 19, 2013. [full story]

Nicaraguan 9-Day Public Sector Holidays

Sources: Ministerio del Trabajo de Nicaragua (MITRAB) and Nicaragua bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Nicaragua's Minister of Labour, Jeannette Chávez Gómez, has announced that Nicaragua's public sector workers and government services would once again close down for 9 consecutive days of public sector holidays on account of the upcoming Holy Week (disfrutarán de vacaciones desde el Sábado de Ramos al Domingo de Pascua inclusive). [full story]

Tonga Public Holidays March 26-27

Sources: Tonga Ministry of Information and Communications (Nuku'alofa) and Tonga bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Tonga's Ministry of Information and Communications has issued a communiqué announcing that, following the death of King Tupou V, Monday and Tuesday, March 26 and 27, 2012, had been declared as additional non-working public holidays throughout Tonga. [full story]

Argentina Holy Week Public Holidays Confusion

Sources: El día (Buenos Aires) and Argentina bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). There are contradictory statements from the government of Argentina concerning the rumour that it was thinking of declaring the entire semana santa (the week leading up to Easter Sunday) as non-working public holidays throughout Argentina. [full story]

Kyrgyzstan Public Holidays March 24

Sources: Кабар - Кыргыз Улуттук Маалымат Агенттиги (Bishkek) and Kyrgyzstan bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Ministry of Labor, Employment and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic has announced that Saturday, March 24, 2012, would once again be a non-working public holiday in Kyrgyzstan. [full story]

Australia Adds 2 SA Public Holidays

Sources: The Australian (Adelaide) and Australian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The South Australian Government has made a deal with independent MPs to ensure passage of its currently-proposed amendments to the official legislation governing non-working public holidays in the Australian state of South Australia. [full story]

Pakistan Public Holiday March 23

Sources: Pakistan's Ministry of Interior (Islamabad) and Pakistan bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Pakistan's Ministry of Interior has confirmed that Friday, March 23, 2012, had been declared a non-working public holiday throughout the country to coincide with "the auspicious occasion of Pakistan Day". [full story]

Brazilian 2012 Public Holidays Amended

Sources: Ministério da Justiça Defensoria Pública da União (Brasilia) and Brazil bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Federal Government of Brazil, through its Ministério da Justiça Defensoria Pública da União, issud a decree amending the previously-released official text listing the 2012 Brazilian public holidays. [full story]

Vatican 2013 Public Holidays Announced

Sources: Prefettura della Casa Ponitificia (Vatican City) and Holy See/Vatican bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Vatican's Prefecture of the Papal Household has released the list of 2013 closed public holidays for the Holy See (aka. Vatican City). [full story]

Puerto Rico Declares 2 Additional Public Holidays

Sources: Oficina de Recursos Humanos del Estado Libre Asociado (ORHELO) and Puerto Rico bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Puerto Rico's Governor, Luis Fortuño, has declared 2 additional, one-off, public sector holidays, on Friday, March 23, 2012, and on Thursday, April 5, 2012. [full story]

Macau Declares Additional 2013 Public Holidays

Sources: 澳门特区政府入口网站 (Macau) and Macau bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Macau's Chief Executive has once again announced additional, one-off, public holidays (Special Grant for exempt from work by The Chief Executive) for the upcoming calendar year 2013. [full story]

Uzbekistan Public Holidays March 22-23

Sources: O‘zA – O‘zbekiston Milliy axborot agentligi (Tashkent) and Uzbekistan bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, has signed the Resolution "On the shifting of days-off", which declares Thursday, March 22, and Friday, March 23, 2012, as additional one-off non-working public holidays in Uzbekistan. [full story]

Nepalese Public Holiday March 22

Sources: नेपाली गृह मंत्रालय के मंत्रालय (Kathmandu) and Nepalese bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Nepalese Ministry of Home Affairs has announced that the government of Nepal had declared Thursday, March 22, 2012, as a non-working public holiday on account of the upcoming Ghode Jatra (festival of horses). [full story]

Sint Maarten July 1st New Public Holiday On Track

Sources: Government of Sint Maarten (Great Bay) and Sint Maarten bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Following a tripartite meeting with the Sint Maarten Minister of Labour, the Windward Island Chamber of Labour Unions (WICLU) 1st Vice-President, Claire Elsot. has announced that it seems that July 1st, 2012, will finally become a full national non-working public holiday beginning in 2012. [full story]

St Vincent and the Grenadines Public Holiday March 20

Sources: Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines (Saint Vincent) and St Vincent and the Grenadines bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Late last night, following the Windies' victory over Australia, the Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, announced that tomorrow, Tuesday, March 20, 2012, would be a one-off non-working public holiday in St Vincent and the Grenadines. [full story]

Cuban Papal Public Holidays March 26-28

Sources: Órgano Oficial del Comité Central del Partido Comunista de Cuba (Granma) and Cuban bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Cuban government has finally announced that it would declare public holidays from March 26 to 28, 2012, to coincide with the upcoming visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Santiago de Cuba and Havana. [full story]

Armenian Bill For April 7 Public Holiday

Sources: Հայերեն լրատվական գործակալությանը (ARMENPRESS) and Armenian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). A bill has been introduced to the Armenian Parliaments Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs, proposing to make April 7th a new annual non-working day dedicated to the Virgin Mary. [full story]

Bangladesh Call For ITLOS Public Holiday

Sources: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and Bangladesh bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Following this week favourable ruling by the International Tribunal for Law of the Seas (ITLOS) a senior leader of Bangladesh's ruling Awami League has called on the government of Bangladesh to declare a one-off non-working public holiday. [full story]

Bolivian Afternoon Public Holiday March 19

Sources: Ministerio de Trabajo, Empleo y Previsión Social (La Paz) and Bolivia bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Bolivia's Ministry of Labour has announced that the upcoming feast of San José, on Monday, March 19, 2012, would be a half-day non-working public holiday for employees of the Bolivian public sector who are fathers. [full story]

Malaysian Sarawak Public Holiday April 11

Sources: Bernama News Agency (Kuala Lumpur) and Malaysian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia's state of Sarawak, Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, has announced that as per a statement from the Sarawak Chief Minister's Department, the state government of Sarawak had decided to also declare Wednesday, April 11, 2012, as a one-off non-working public holiday on account of the upcoming installation of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah (Malaysia's King). [full story]

Maldives March 19 Public Holiday Ruled-Out

Sources: ރައީސުލްޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާގެ އޮފީސް (Male) and Maldives bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Office of the President of the Maldives, Mohamed Waheed, has released a communique indicating that Monday, March 19, 2012, the date of this year's first sitting of the People’s Majlis, would not also be declared a one-off public holiday. [full story]

Iraq Public Holiday March 29 Denied

Sources: الوكالة الوطنية العراقية للأنباء - نينا (Baghdad) and Iraqi bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Iraqi Director of Traffic Department, Major General Issam Hassan, has announced that, despite earlier announcements, neither Wednesday March 28, nor Thursday March 29, 2012, would be one-off non-working public holidays due to the upcoming Arab Summit. [full story]

Argentina Considers Weeklong Public Holidays

Sources: Ministerio del Interior (República Argentina) and Argentina bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The government of Argentina is once again considering declaring the entire semana santa (the week leading up to Easter Sunday) as non-working public holidays throughout Argentina. [full story]

Brazil FIFA 2014 Public Holidays Law Approved

Sources: Câmara dos Deputados (Brasilia) and Brazilian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Brazil upper and lower houses of Parliament have approved the "Lei da Copa", the recent bill which will allow Brazilian states and municipalities to declare one-off public holidays whenever a FIFA World Cup game occurs in their jurisdiction in 2014. [full story]

Russia Declares 2 Additional Public Holidays

Sources: Лента новостей РИА Новости (Moscow) and Russian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The recently-elected Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has announced an RF Government Resolution, which declares Monday and Tuesday, May 7 and 8, 2012, as additional non-working public holidays throughout Russia. [full story]

Timor Leste Public Holiday March 16-17

Sources: Press Release Government Of Timor-Leste (Dili) and Timor Leste bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The government of Timor Leste has announced that it had decided to declare another non-working public holiday in Timor-Leste on Saturday, March 17, 2012, on the date of the upcoming presidential elections. [full story]

Montserrat 2012 Public Holidays Announced

Sources: Government of Montserrat (Brades) and Montserrat bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Montserrat's Office of the Deputy Governor has finally announced the list of public holidays, and in lieu public holidays for the year 2012 in Montserrat. [full story]

Honduras 2012 Holy Week Public Holidays

Sources: La Prensa Libre (Tegucigalpa) and Honduras bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The President of Honduras, Porfirio Lobo, has once again approved the declaration of the entire upcoming Holy Week (April 2-8, 2012) as public holidays for Honduras' public sector employees. [full story]

Kyrgyzstan 2012 Public Holidays Announced

Sources: Кабар - Кыргыз Улуттук Маалымат Агенттиги (Bishkek) and Kyrgyzstan bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Ministry of Labor, Employment and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic has released the official list of non-working public holidays in Kyrgyzstan for the remainder of the calendar year 2012. [full story]

Venezuelan Public Holidays Changes Confirmed

Sources: Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias (Caracas) and Venezuela bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The government of Venezuela has announced that the recently-announced amendments to the Venezuelan legislation governing non-working public holidays would be signed by President Hugo Chávez on May 1st, 2012, and will then take effect on May 1st, 2013. [full story]

Swaziland 2013 Election Public Holiday

Sources: Government of Swaziland Ministry of Home Affairs (Mbabane) and Swaziland bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Swaziland's Government Press Secretary, Percy Simelane, has announced that the main day of the upcoming national secondary parliamentary elections would, once again, be a non-working public holiday in Swaziland. [full story]

Liberian Public Holidays March 14 and 15

Sources: Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Monrovia) and Liberian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, has issued two proclamations declaring the consecutive days of Wednesday, March 14, and Thursday, March 15, 2012, respectively, as national public holidays to be observed throughout the country. [full story]

Timor Leste Public Holiday March 16

Sources: Press Release Government Of Timor-Leste (Dili) and Timor Leste bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The government of Timor Leste has announced that it had decided to grant another day-off public sector holiday, this time on Friday, March 16, 2012, all day, to all employees and agents of the ministries or departments depending on them, as well as institutes and organizations included in indirect State administration. [full story]

New Caledonia 2012 Bank Holidays Amended

Sources: Medef Nouvelle-Calédonie (Nouméa) and New Caledonia bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The recently-published list of official bank holidays in New Caledonia for the calendar year 2012 has been amended. [full story]

Portugal Religious Public Holidays Update

Sources: Económico (Lisboa) and Portugal bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Within a couple of days, the Portuguese Episcopal Conference and the Vatican have made separate proposals to amend the Portuguese Government's current plans to cancel 2 religious annual non-working public holidays in Portugal. [full story]