Envoys on hygiene mission
COMMUNITY education is important in producing conscientious citizens who take it as their responsibility to keep their country clean. This is the general opinion of the territory's 'Ambassadors of Hygiene', who will be visiting Singapore during the Lunar New Year holidays to exchange views on environmental hygiene and related issues with their counterparts.
Twenty primary and secondary students, selected as Hong Kong's first batch of 'Ambassadors of Hygiene' in the 1994-95 Urban Council Ambassador of Hygiene Scheme, won a free trip to the Lion City from February 4 to 8.
Form Four students George Lam Chung-ching and Thomas Chin Chi-kui, both of Tsuen Wan Government Secondary School, believe that a sense of responsibility to keep one's community clean is developed through early education.
'I think law is another important component contributing to the existence and maintenance of a clean city,' George added.
As executive members of their school's Health Education Unit, the two boys said they hoped to learn the secret of Singapore's cleanliness to help improve the territory's situation.
Agreeing that the trip is an opportunity for exchange, sixth-formers Gloria Yiu Pui-ling and Michelle Liu Pui-yee of SKH Lam Woo Memorial Secondary School had already suggested some ways to improve the territory's environmental hygiene before going to Singapore.
In their project, the two girls recommended the re-designing of existing litter bins and the adoption of garbage classification to keep Hong Kong clean.
Singapore Tourist Promotion Board (China and Hong Kong) general manager Michael Yeo said keeping the country clean was a social habit of every citizen.
He said it was the education of generations of citizens beginning at a very young age, instead of the strict laws and punishment, as many believed, which made Singapore such a clean country.
Held for the first time, the scheme was aimed at enhancing students' knowledge of environmental hygiene. More than 200 students took part.
