Prison uniforms to be changed

Dharma SRI ABEYRATNE

The uniforms and official designations of Prison officials will be changed so as to reflect the dignity of their job, Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Minister DEW Gunasekara said.

The attire of convicts will also be changed. The present attire of convicts' which is the jumper will be replaced by a suitable dress which is being planned.

"The Jumper was introduced as the dress of convicts more than 150 years ago when the prison system commenced in 1844. As much as the jumper, the word 'Jailer' has been introduced during the colonial era," the Minister added.

Prisons which are situated in urban areas will be shifted to sub-urban or rural areas. Accordingly Bogambara, the prison in Kandy will be shifted to Pallekele. More than half of the construction process of Pallekele prison has been completed. The Magazine prison will also be shifted to another place which is not such congested or highly urban. However the remanded prisoners will be kept as usual in urban prisons since remanded prisoners have to be produced before Courts frequently until their trials are over. But the convicted prisoners will be transferred to prisons which are being constructed. Then the congestion of prisons will minimize, Minister Gunasekara further said.