Asia Europe Customs Meet

By Vijay Kumar

THE CBEC Chairman, Najib Shah addressing the participating delegates after inaugurating the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting of Customs Directors General-Commissioners, at Dona Paula near Panaji, Goa yesterday. WCO Secretary General Mr. Kunio Mikuriya is also seen.

Please also see a bored Customs officer standing behind the dignitaries on the Stage. This is a protocol officer whose only job is stand there like a decoration to the stage. He is not there for security (he hardly knows anything about that); his only reason to be standing during the entire proceedings is perhaps to add a little colour(white!) to the stage. When will we get rid of such archaic humiliating protocol?