The President sees that converting the old Mahamodara hospital into a prison is a problem.

Attention has been drawn to reconsidering the decision to temporarily use the old Mahamodara Maternity Hospital complex in Galle as a prison, during a special discussion chaired by the President. This matter was extensively discussed and reviewed at the Galle District Special Coordination Committee meeting held yesterday (28) afternoon.

The President pointed out that although steps have been taken to detain prisoners from the Negombo Prison in temporary camps at Mahamodara and Bogambara until the ongoing renovation work at the Negombo Prison is completed, this will in no way establish a permanent prison. However, attention was also drawn to re-examining the initial decision to establish this Mahamodara hospital premises as a prison.

According to the future Galle city development plan, the Mahamodara area is to be promoted as a special administrative zone. Under this plan, 18 state institutions, including the Galle Police Station and the Main Post Office, are to be relocated to that complex, while the existing Galle Prison is planned to be constructed in the Boossa area.

Minister of Justice and National Integration, Attorney-at-Law Harshana Nanayakkara, recently issued an extraordinary gazette notification designating the old Mahamodara Maternity Hospital system as a prison. In accordance with the powers vested in the Minister by Section 2 of the Prisons Ordinance, this hospital complex was declared a prison for the purposes of the said ordinance.