Virtual meetings for prisoners with their families with the help of ICRC

BY CYRIL WIMALASURENDRE

KANDY – State Minister for Prisons Reforms Lohan Ratwatte said here yesterday that as prison visits had been suspended, inmates would be afforded an opportunity to communicate with their loved ones via Zoom.

The facility had been made available in six prisons of the country, including Welikada and Angunakolapelessa, State Minister Ratwatte said.

Answering media queries, State Minister Ratwatte disclosed that the now vacant Bogambara prison buildings and its land would be developed as a tourist attraction in the near future.

The buildings and the land of the old prison were so valuable that they should be made utilised for a useful project, capitalising on the arrival of  foreign tourists. The building alone was unique with many attractive features, the State Minister said.

Such development activities were carried out by the Urban Development Authority ( UDA ) , Ratwatte said, adding that investors would also be able to join in once the developments were completed.

State Minister Lohan Ratwatte addressed the media after attending a meeting with central province governor Lalth U. Gsmage at the governor’s secretariat.