Authorities in Hong Kong spent 76 lakh rupees ($90,028) earlier this year on a competition to rename two giant pandas gifted by China, but despite spending the huge amount, the original names were retained. According to a report South China Morning Post (SCMP)A giant panda renaming contest began in October, where the public was invited to come up with new names for “Nn” and “Keke” – two bears that hail from Sichuan.
According to the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, taxpayers’ money was spent on creating a website for the activity, recruiting staff, posting advertisements on the Internet, and awarding prizes to winners, as well as at Hong Kong’s Mass Transit Railway (MTR) stations. .
The winner of the competition was awarded a prize of Rs 5.16 lakh, which included a Tourbillon watch worth approximately Rs 4 lakh and membership and vouchers to the Ocean Park, where the pandas are kept. Despite the rewards being offered, the judges, who took no payment for their services, announced that the pandas would keep their original names.
Asked about the waste of funds, Culture, Sports and Tourism Secretary Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said officials did not realize the public would prefer to keep the original name.
In particular, giant pandas in Hong Kong are usually named either after soliciting suggestions from the public, or by adopting names given to them while breastfeeding, or by adopting names given to them by the authorities. .
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Both male “N N” and female “KK” have a lifespan of five years, which is equivalent to 15 in human years. The pair arrived in the country amid much fanfare in September when Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki and Tourism Minister Kevin Yeung Yun-hung welcomed them at Hong Kong International Airport in a glittering ceremony.
According to Ocean Park President Paulo Pong, NN and K can help bring in customers and generate revenue. “It’s hard to put a number on (the cost) because it’s so much more than just revenue or parks, or profit or loss. We believe that our social responsibility is strong,” Mr Pong said.
“The most important thing is that we want to get people into the park to buy tickets or annual passes to maintain a steady flow of income,” he said.
The panda was introduced to the public last week in anticipation of huge crowds at the park in the days before Christmas.
