Customs is not all About Annoying Passengers at Airports
WHEN people think about Customs, the first thing that comes to mind is, officers annoying passengers at airports by rummaging through their bags. However, the operations behind the scene entail a plethora of engaging socio-economic topics that carry every-changing challenges. In response to this longing for further learning, several universities have developed a master degree in line with WCO standards.
You have acquired a wealth of knowledge, but your message has to be understood inside and outside your work place. In this inter-connected world we need concerted efforts with other entities based on common understanding to provide better service. I always stress the partnership approach with members of Customs administrations to achieve our goal: partnership with businesses, other government agencies and foreign Customs administrations and without forgetting academia. Needless to say, communication is the key to achieve this coordination and cooperation with your partners. I believe that communication is powerful when it is conveyed in a simple and succinct manner. To accomplish this, you have to find the essence of the subject and translate its meaning into an explanation that is understandable to a lay person. Once you identify the core message, then, if needed, you would be able to elaborate longer without losing sight of the whole issue.
The current President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan spent his young days as Customs officer before engaging in higher education for further learning in order to deepen his knowledge, and then pursuing a political career. Another example showing how learning and practical work can enhance one another is Adam Smith, the father of modern economics in the 18th Century, who later assumed the post of Customs controller in Scotland.
[Excerpts from the Convocation Address by Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General, World Customs Organization at the Postgraduate Institute of Management of the University of Jayewardenepura, Colombo 23 July 2011]