Hong Kong Spends Rs 76 Lakh On Panda Renaming Contest, Ends Up Retaining Original Names

Authorities in Hong Kong spent Rs 76 lakh ($90,028) earlier this year on a competition to rename two giant pandas, gifted by China, but ended up retaining the original names despite spending the huge sum. According to a report in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the giant panda renaming competition started in October where the public was invited to come up with fresh names for "An An" and "Ke Ke" -- the two bears, who arrived from Sichuan.

As per the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the taxpayer's money was spent to build a website for the activity, recruit staff, post advertisements on internet and Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway (MTR) stations in addition to offering prizes to the winners.

The winner of the competition was awarded prizes worth Rs 5.16 lakh which included a tourbillon watch, valued around Rs 4 lakh and membership and vouchers for Ocean Park where the pandas are kept. Despite offering the prizes, the judges, who did not take any pay for their services, announced that the pandas would keep their original names.

Quizzed about the wastage of funds, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said the authorities were not to know that the public would prefer keeping the original names.

Notably, the giant pandas in Hong Kong are usually named either after seeking suggestions from the public, or by keeping the names given to them while breastfeeding, or by adopting the names that were given to them by the authorities.

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Giant pandas arrive

Male "An An" and female "Ke Ke" are both aged five, the equivalent of 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 the Hong Kong International Airport in a glittering ceremony.

As per Ocean Park chairman Paulo Pong, An An and Ke Ke could help bring in customers and generate revenue. “It is difficult to put a number on [costs] as it is more than just about the income or the park, or the profit or losses. We believe our social responsibility is strong,” Mr Pong said.

“Most importantly we want to bring people to the park, to buy tickets or annual passes to maintain a steady income flow,” he added.

The pandas were unveiled to the public last week with the park anticipating huge rush in the days leading up to Christmas.