The finance ministry has turned down a GRTU request for shops to be allowed to open this Saturday, which is Workers' Day.

The ministry said circumstances were not extraordinary such as to warrant allowing shops to stay open.

The GRTU had argued that a two-day weekend with no shopping was too long for consumers. It said that 71 per cent of its members wanted to open on Saturday.

The Chamber of Commerce had been against the proposal, while the Consumers' Association was in favour.

On March 31, Freedom Day, the government had allowed shops to open. However, it had said it did not wish to set a precedent which would be applied to every public holiday. March 31 was a Wednesday, two days before Good Friday.

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