President plans to introduce structural reforms in Customs

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (5) declared that structural reforms would be implemented in the Customs Department to establish an institutional framework that aligns with contemporary needs of the country.

The President made these remarks during a discussion held with the senior officials of Customs yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat concerning the Budget-2025 and the institutional restructuring.

The discussion also addressed critical issues such as inefficiencies, fraud, corruption and public dissatisfaction with the current functioning of the Department.

In response to these challenges, President Dissanayake emphasised the adoption of new technologies aimed at accelerating departmental operations and enhancing service delivery efficiency.

The new restructuring plans for the department were thoroughly discussed, during which President Dissanayake directed the officials to enforce stringent laws aimed at eliminating inefficiencies in the Department.

Furthermore, the President emphasized the need for expediting human resource management, recruitment processes, and the acceleration of infrastructure development.

The President also acknowledged the revenue targets successfully achieved by Customs in the previous year and highlighted the necessary measures that the Customs Department must adopt to achieve the revenue target for the current year.

The Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando; Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake; Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Mahinda Siriwardana; Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Russel Aponsu; Director General of Sri Lanka Customs, P.B.S.C. Nonis; along with a group of senior officials from Customs, also participated in this discussion.