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Nam Wa Po Village, a 92-year-old settlement with 600 permanent residents in Lam Tsuen, Tai Po became the first village ever to be awarded the title of the "Most Beautified Village" today(Friday), beating more than 180 other contesting villages across the New Territories.

Jointly organised by the Home Affairs Department, the Heung Yee Kuk and the South China Morning Post, the Director of Home Affairs, Mrs Shelley Lau, said : "The Most Beautified Village Contest was intended not just to encourage contesting villages to carry out certain superficial improvements to their environment. Instead, it is aimed more at effecting long-term improvements with considerable stock attached to the village's greening activities, maintenance and preservation of its historical relics, and the ambience of the village, apart from general environmental improvements."

"Importance is also attached to the village's amiable atmosphere, culture, cohesiveness and observance of traditional practices as well as the overall appeal of the village through suitable landscaping work," Mrs Lau said at the award presentation ceremony where she presented the first prize, consisting of a set of Chinese couplets, to the head of Nam Wa Po Village, Mr Lam Kiu-chung.

South China Morning Post columnist, Mr Kevin Sinclair, who initiated the idea for the contest, noted that villagers of Nam Wa Po were moved to its present site from Hang Ha Po Tsuen in 1908, the same year the paper was established.

Reiterating the paper's desire to assist in further improving the environment in villages and the preservation of village artifacts and lifestyles, Mr Sinclair added that : "We feel it is important not only for the paper to tell the news of today, but to record our past. That's why a major part of the campaign was to recognise the preservation of history and traditions in rural communities."

Also present at the ceremony was the Vice Chairman of Heung Yee Kuk, Mr Pang Hang-yin, who expressed confidence in HAD's ability to carry on the work of the Rural Planning and Improvement Strategy (RPIS) Minor Works Programe with the new Rural Public Works (RPW) Programme in effecting environmental improvements through minor infrastructural works. The RPW Programme commenced in April 1999, with the objective of eventually taking over all RPIS projects by April of this year.

Mr Pang and Mr Sinclair presented second and third prizes respectively to Tai Wan Tsuen in North Lamma and Tin Sim Village in Sha Tin.

Mrs Lau said : "The Bauhinia seedlings presented as prizes are particularly timely and appropriate as they dovetail with the Bauhinia Festival launched by HAD last year to help propagate Hong Kong's floral emblem - the Bauhinia."

Apart from the top three finishers, 49 other villages were awarded one of six categories of prizes, including 'The Cleanest Village', 'Village with the Greatest Team Spirit', 'Village with the Greatest Human Kindness and Friendness', 'Village with the Greatest Sense of Environmental Protection' and 'Village with the Greatest Endeavour in Historical Preservation'.

Other guests present at the ceremony included Chairman of Green Fun, Miss Maria Tam; Commissioner of Tourism, Mr Mike Rowse; Deputy Director of Home Affairs, Mr Lui Hau-tuen; Chairman of Tai Po Environmental Association, Dr Yau Wing-kwong; and Chairman of Art Zone and Hong Kong Modern Art Society, Mr Chung Kin-san.

End/Friday, February 25, 2000

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