A l’instar de toutes les Administrations douanières du monde entier, la Direction Générale des Douanes et Droits Indirects célèbre le 21 septembre de chaque année sa fête patronale, la Saint Matthieu. Plusieurs activités ont été programmées pour consacrer celle de l’édition 2019, dont celle communément appelée LA TRIBUNE DES ANCIENS qui réunit chaque année dans la salle de Conférence de la Direction Générale des douanes, l’ancienne génération des fonctionnaires de l’Administration des douanes et celle actuellement en activité afin de débattre sur des thématiques. Le thème retenu cette année porte sur << la mise en œuvre du statut d’Officier de Police Judiciaire (OPJ) au profit des fonctionnaires des douanes>>, présenté par le Colonel des douanes à la retraite, Louis Gbèhounou VLAVONOU, actuel Président de l’Assemblée Nationale du Bénin.
Through a brilliant communication, the second personality of the Republic of Benin used both its rich professional experience and its long history within the legislative power to maintain its former colleagues.
Indeed, in order to respond to the many difficulties arising from increasingly recurring requests from other law enforcement agencies, the Republican Police (the Gendarmerie and the National Police) to deal with matters in the customs field, the Customs Administration had the opportunity to incorporate the status of OPJ into its legal body for the benefit of its officials. Thus, in the wake of the 7th legislature, and under the benevolent gaze of the illustrious host of the day, action was taken.
Through his explanations, he addressed all aspects relating to the prerequisites that would constitute the proven academic knowledge especially in the legal sciences as well as the veracity that must be demonstrated by the disciples of St Matthew in the drafting of the Verbaux-Procès de Constat without which the certainty of the attributes of OPJ to customs officials would be hypothetical.
It was on words of gratitude and gratitude to the President of the National Assembly that the disciples of St Matthew, through their Director General, ended the 2019 Tribune of Ancient EDITION.