Hong Kong spent HK$700,000 on panda naming contest. Was it a waste of money?
Money was used to build a competition website, post advertisements, recruit manpower and buy prizes for winners
Hong Kong authorities have spent HK$700,000 (US$90,028) on a competition to rename two Beijing-gifted giant pandas, in which their original names were retained.
The Giant Panda Naming Competition, which kicked off in October, was organised to invite the public to come up with new names for “An An” and “Ke Ke”, who arrived from Sichuan.
The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau said on Friday the public money was used to build a website for the activity, post advertisements at MTR stations and on the internet, recruit extra supporting manpower and offer prizes to winners.
The judges of the naming contest, however, took up their roles voluntarily, the bureau added.
According to the competition website, the champion was awarded prizes worth HK$47,320, including a tourbillon watch valued at HK$36,800, and membership and vouchers for Ocean Park.
During a ceremony on Saturday, judges announced that the bears would keep their names.
