Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan has pledged to ensure that every individual in uniform within all institutions under the homeland ministry will provide services with integrity. He made the remarks during the flag hoisting ceremony commemorating the 134th anniversary of the Maldives Customs Service.
The ceremony took place at the Customs Building, where Minister Ihusaan and Commissioner General of Customs Yoosuf Maniu Mohamed jointly hoisted the flag. Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Ihusaan acknowledged the challenges faced by Customs Officers in providing services, emphasising that no uniformed service is easy, especially those at the borders of the Maldives.
Additionally, Minister Ihusaan committed to holding uniformed officers to a higher standard in serving citizens, ensuring the enforcement of laws. He pledged to maintain integrity among all uniformed officers and expressed his desire to align the services closely with the public's expectations, focusing on both border security and trade facilitation for the Maldives. He also highlighted President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s vision of delivering prompt services to the people and expressed hope that the public’s perception of the Customs service would improve over time.
The Maldives Customs Service was first established as Bandaara Fihaara, on July 18, 1890. The service was renamed the Maldives Customs Service on November 11, 1998. The Maldives Customs Service was transformed into a civilian institution outside the Civil Service Act, with the ratification of the Maldives Customs Act on May, 11, 2011.