Range Bandara's stark revelation

Colombo (News 1st): Amidst the unrest that was reported in Prisons in the country today and yesterday, a stark revelation related to these incidents were made at several media briefings held today. Former UNP MP - Palitha Range Bandara at a media briefing said that a particular company has proposed the Government to take out prisoners from the Prisons for labour and nearly 500 inmates were taken from the Welikada Prison. He said that a sum of Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 2000 was paid to that particular company by the Government for each inmate who was taken out for labour and that company has paid only Rs. 480 to the Government for each inmate in return. Range Bandara said that the company has enjoyed a profit of Rs. 1020 by the labour force of one inmate. "The inmates go in the morning and come back in the evening. They leave the Prison in a healthy condition and come back to the Prison with COVID-19. This was the main reason why COVID-19 engulfed the Welikada Prison." said, Former UNP MP - Palitha Range Bandara. The Former MP said that Sri Lanka Prisons have met with such a disastrous fate by trying to please high profile individuals, trying to earn money and misusing inmates in this manner. Meanwhile, Chairman of the Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners - Att.-at-Law Senaka Perera said that 5,000 acres of land has been given to cultivate corn and prison inmates have been used to carry out the cultivations. Chairman of the Committee said that they express their strong opposition against this and that they are hoping to take necessary action against this illegal act both on a national and international level.