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Singapore Customs (Singapore)

2:3; image by Santiago Dotor, 28 March 2006

Description
Customs and Excise Department until 2003

See also:

Description

The Singapore Customs and Excise Department is an agency under the Ministry of Finance. The role of Customs is broad, ranging from collection of duties and taxes to the control of import and export of goods.

The Department's flag is plain navy blue in proportions 2:3 with the Singapore Customs and Excise Department arms, in full colour, charged in the centre.

Herman Felani, 22 November 2002

According to the Customs and Excise Department website, the arms has undergone several changes, the most important being replacing the portcullis by a caduceus and keys:

Our crest symbolises our twin functions both as a collector of revenue and a facilitator of trade and travel. It consists of the States [sic] Arms which surmount the caduceus. This is the symbol of trade and commerce and the two keys pointing upwards project the department's aim to achieve higher levels of trade facilitation while ensuring revenue protection. A pair of golden fronds encloses and supports the State Arms, the caduceus and the keys. Beneath the fronds lies a red banner bearing the inscription "SINGAPORE CUSTOMS".

I guess we can safely assume that the Customs flag uses this new arms.

Santiago Dotor, 28 March 2006

The Singapore Customs and Excise Department was reorganised to become Singapore Customs in April 2003, with corresponding changes to their badge and service flag, as reported by Santiago Dotor. During the reorganisation, part of the duties of the former Customs and Excise Department were transferred over to another department, the Singapore Immigration and Registration which was itself reorganised to become the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority concurrently. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority had a new badge and service flag which features a portcullis. Further details on the flags and emblems of these respective services are detailed on my website.

Herman Felani, 30 March 2006

Customs and Excise Department until 2003

2:3; image by Herman Felani, 22 November 2002

Here is the description and symbolism of the arms from the Customs and Excise Department's website:

As our Department functions both as a tax and law enforcing agency, our Customs Crest consists of the State Arms which surmount the portcullis (a traditional symbol of Customs in most countries). A pair of golden fronds encloses and supports the State Arms and the portcullis. Beneath the fronds is a red banner bearing the inscription 'Singapore Customs'.

Up to date, I was only able to see this flag being flown outside the Inland Revenue House, the Headquarters of the Department. It flies in position secondary to the National Flag, from sunrise to sunset.

Herman Felani, 22 November 2002