System to be established to allow import permits to be obtained from a single location

Maldives Customs Service has said that they will be able to complete work on the “National Single Window”, designed to provide all the permits necessary to import and export goods in and out of the country, from a single location. The window is being established in collaboration with Ministry of Trade.

Speaking at an interview after a function held at Customs today to celebrate the International Customs Day, Customs Superintendent Ahmed Niyaz said that the work to establish the system is being conducted as a collaboration between Customs, Ministry of Trade and a few other authorities, and that they are currently working on putting together a working group for the system. He said that they hope to complete work on the system this year.

“What happens through this system is that, a number of permits have to be obtained from different authorities to clear goods from customs now. For example, if a chemical substance is to be brought in, it has to be cleared from Defence. If it’s a plant, permits have to be acquired from Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture. So permits have to be obtained from a variety of places. When this system is set up, what happens is that a person does not have to go to several places to obtain these permits. They can be acquired, and the goods cleared, straight from Customs,” Niyaz said.

He said that this was an initiative by Customs and that the system will be established with the involvement of all relevant authorities.

He also said that as the theme for International Customs Day this year is “Innovation of Customs Progress”, a lot of work has been done towards improving the services of customs and to introduce new services.

This includes the installation of a 24 hour surveillance system in the airport, and the establishment and improvement of a human resource system named “HRMNS”. He said that an identification system has also been established to monitor the vessels that come into and move out of the Maldives.

During the event held to celebrate the International Customs day, “certificate of merit” presented by the World Customs Organization was awarded to some employees today. Certificates were also awarded to those who had served the customs in different areas. The certificates were handed out by the Second Secretary of the Chinese Embassy and the Maldives Commissioner General of Customs.