The technological investment of recent years in the Public Service, amounting to €150 million, is bearing fruit both at the National Archives where we are increasing our archiving and documentation capacities, as well as Customs, where unprecedented investment has led to record amounts of drugs and illicit goods being seized.
This was stated by Principal Permanent Secretary Mario Cutajar while visiting the National Archives and various sections of Customs as part of Public Service Week 2020, which runs until Friday 25th September.
At the National Archives in Rabat, Mr Cutajar was welcomed and shown around by National Archivist Dr Charles Farrugia. Mr Cutajar spoke with the workers and was given an explanation of the work involved in conserving documents as well as the process of cataloguing them and making them publicly available. Information was also provided on important projects such as ‘Memorja’.
Pointing out that the Public Service offers a very rewarding career to those specialised in these fields, Mr Cutajar said that the National Archives play a part in the digitisation strategy of the Public Service, where they will have an essential role in the e-filing project in government departments. At a time when the need for electronically available documents is ever increasing, this is an indispensable project, particularly in terms of remote work.
Mr Cutajar also mentioned the plans for a new building at Ta’ Qali with the aim of giving the National Archives more working space.
When visiting the Customs complex at the Freeport, Mr Cutajar was welcomed by the Director General of Customs, Mr Joseph Chetcuti, who spoke of how the financial investments made at Customs in recent years, including €8 million for scanners and other machinery, have led to large amounts of drugs being seized. Mr Cutajar met the workers and closely followed the process of the scanning of containers by Customs inspectors. This is a very meticulous but satisfying task, because criminals are being outwitted as never before.
Mr Cutajar also visited the new building which houses the Customs Dog Section at Ħal Far, where currently there are eight fully trained dogs. This building is the cherry on the cake of all the investments made so that the Public Service is always on the side of honest citizens.
While commending the commitment and dedication of the Customs dog handlers, Mr Cutajar also had words of admiration for the dogs themselves when they displayed their skills together with the last member that joined their team – a Doberman named Zekkin, sponsored by the Central Bank.
All activities organised during Public Service Week may be followed live on the Public Service Facebook page.
