By Saman Indrajith

Having COVID-19 infected prisoners in the old Bogambara prison premises in Kandy was like keeping a ticking time bomb in the city, Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella told Parliament yesterday (18).

 At the time for Notices of Motions and Orders of the Day, MP Kiriella, with the permission of the Chair, said that he had warned Bogambara prisons now used as a quarantine centre that it would lead to the transmission the virus but the authorities had not heeded his warning. “There was an incident last night. Some of the infected inmates escaped. The guards opened fire and one person died and another was admitted to hospital. Some others have made good their escape. This is a dangerous situation. As I once said this is nothing but a ticking time bomb.

“We removed prisoners from Bogambara and started developing the facility as a cultural centre. After the change of government the project was suspended. After the detection of COVID cases in prisons, the infected persons were brought to the former Bogambara prison, which It is in the heart of the Kandy city.

There are around 50 people working within the prison premises, and they come to the city to buy their provisions. Soon there would be a massive number of infections in Kandy. On the other hand, it is the city where the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha is kept. The location of a quarantine centre there is improper. Please shift this quarantine centre.”

Kurunegala District SJB MP Nalin Bandara said that the Bogambara prison buildings were more than 200 years old and posed a serious threat to the lives of those held there. “I, as a deputy minister, participated in the Bogambara prison development project. Some sections of the building are on the verge of collapse. We wanted to restore them owing to its architectural and historical value, but before the project got underway, there was a change of government. So, the threat of buildings collapsing is still there. In addition to the health hazard, there is a threat to the lives of those being held in that place. We hope the government will take necessary action to avert a disaster waiting to happen.?