Known as "Hang Seng Bank - Junior Police Call Environmental Detectives", the competition comprises web games and presentations on environmental research, with the aim of testing youngsters' alertness to environmental problems and their capabilities of identifying the causes of the problems and suggesting solutions. It is open to primary and secondary students, as well as members of JPC District Councils.

Participating teams, each comprising six persons, will compete for Hang Seng Bank scholarships and the chance to visit conservation areas and facilities in Bangkok, Thailand.

Speaking at the launching ceremony on April 13, Commissioner Lee Ming-kwai said the Force hoped to promote public awareness of environmental protection through the JPC.

"As part of this mission, we are organising the first JPC Environmental Detectives competition. Participants, like detectives, will have to investigate the environmental problems, find out the 'culprits' and come up with solutions," he added.

Hang Seng Bank has sponsored the competition with $320,000, and the bank's Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive, Mr Vincent Cheng, presented a cheque for this sum to Mr Lee at the ceremony.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Mr Cheng said: "We hope that through this competition, youngsters will be more conscious of environmental problems in the community. As a recognition of our own long-term commitment to enhancing the environment, we have been awarded ISO 14001 certification for our environmental management system at headquarters. Hang Seng has also won the 'Green Innovative Practice on Go Green Team Spirit' Gold Award of the Hong Kong Eco-Business Awards, organised by the Environmental Protection Department."

The Chairman of World Wild Fund for Nature Hong Kong (WWF Hong Kong), Mr Markus Shaw, said at the ceremony: "As a father, I know how important it is to me that my three children will grow up with a love for, as well as an appreciation of the need for responsible stewardship of, the natural world. I hope that the Hang Seng Bank JPC Environmental Detectives programme would instil these same feelings among the members of JPC."

Other guests attending the launching ceremony held at the Hang Seng Bank Headquarters included General Manager of Sunflower Travel Service Limited, Mr Steve Fung, and Deputy Managing Director of Metro Broadcast Corporation Limited, Ms Bianca Ma.

WWF Hong Kong is a co-organiser of the competition, which is also supported by Sunflower Travel Service Limited and Metro Broadcast Corporation Limited.

Application forms for the competition are available at police stations, JPC clubs, District Offices and Hang Seng Bank branches (excluding those in MTR stations). The deadline for application is June 6, 2005.

More details are available from Police Public Relations Branch on 2860-6155 or the website at http://www.hkpjpc.org.hk/environment.

The "JPC Environmental Detectives" Project encourages youngsters to identify environmental problems and come up with solutions.