Prisons congested

*Some in jail for not paying Rs 1,500 fine

*Prisons can accommodate only 11,000

Stanley SENEVIRATNE- Kurunegala North group corr.

Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Minister D E W Gunasekara said there are around 7,000 convicts in prisons who had defaulted payments of fines of Rs 1,500 or Rs 1,000.

According to the Minister these fines had been imposed by the courts.

"People from poor families who were unable to pay the fines were compelled to serve a prison term," he said.

Minister Gunasekara said due to their failure to pay a Rs 1,500 fine some languished in jail for three months or more.

The Government spends Rs 261 daily on each inmate in jail.

Some continue to stay in prisons as they are unable to pay the fine of Rs 1,000 or less, he said.

The Minister also observed that some religious and voluntary organizations pay the fines and assist them. This benefited nearly 7,000 convicts who would have otherwise been compelled to stay in prison, the Minister said. Congestion in prison is one of the biggest problems.

The prisons can accommodate nearly 11,000 prisoners but there are over 25,000, he said.

A decision has been taken to accommodate inmates in open camps instead of confining them to prison cells to minimise congestion in prisons, and also give them an opportunity to contribute to the national coffers.

The Ministry has set up two camps in Weerawila and Polonnaruwa, the Minister said.