Shifting prisons, police stations away from commercial hubs, modern urban development feature - PM

Sanjaya Asela Maturata and Mahanama Galahitiyawa, Kandy North Special corr.

KANDY: Although the relocation of the Kandy Bogambara prison has been mooted since 1972 only the present Government was able to implement it due to the farsighted leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, said Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka.

The Prime Minister made this observation when he laid the foundation stone for a new prison complex to replace the Kandy Bogambara Prison at Pallekelle on September 29.

The Prime Minister said taking firm decisions and ensuring their quick implementation are too salient qualities of leadership. The President had these features in ample measure to guide the present Government on the correct path.

Wickremanayaka said the Bogambara Prison built by British rules in 1876 for 700 inmates was now bursting at its seems accommodating more than 2,000 inmates. It would be shifted to the new prison complex which would be completed at a cost of Rs. 4.9 billion within the next three years.

Wickremanayaka said the prisons came under his purview when he functioned as Justice Minister in 1970-77 regime. Since then efforts were made by them to shift the Bogambara Prison away from the Kandy city without much success.

He said an important feature in modern urban development was to shift prisons and police stations away from commercial hubs.

This would enable planners to develop limited commercial land in a manner that ensured optimum use, he said.

“Building prisons was not part and parcel of the development effort. Which could muster foreign aid.”

“Donor countries and lending agencies offered assistance towards projects aimed to strengthen the country’s economy and people’s livelihoods,” the Premier said

“Therefore we should take action towards reducing crimes and other corrupt practices.”

Wickremanayaka said prisons today were accommodating a large number of inmates much beyond their actual capacity. Even people who are unable to pay up a small fine are detained in prisons along with IRCs.

This factor which contributed towards further corrupting minor offenders also made the Government spend a large sum of money for their daily upkeep. Therefore Judicial reforms should be introduced to remedy this situation.

Crimes could also be reduced by promoting discipline and moral values among the child generation by inducing them to attend dhamma schools rather than tuition classes on Sundays.