The President was speaking at the opening  of the new Sri Lanka Customs Department Headquarters building at Fort.

The government has spent Rs.10 billion for the new building with state-of-the-art facilities.

Speaking further the President said  that the UNP government decided to sell this land where the new building is to a foreign company and he recalled how the trade unions under his leadership as the Leader of the Opposition struggled and prevented selling of the land.  He said the present government  since 2005 rendered a significant service on behalf of the state sector from 2005 and increased the  public sector work force to 1.4 million.
 
President Rajapaksa also opened the Customs Museum located at the ground floor of the building.   A souvenir comprising the history of Customs Department and its current activities, a memento marking the event and a First Day Cover and the stamp issued marking  205 years of service of the Department.   were  presented to the President.
 
International Monetary Cooperation Senior Minister and Finance and Planning Deputy Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, Presidential Chief of Staff Gamini Senarath, Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana, Customs Director General Jagath P. Wijeweera were  present.(KH/SI)