The winners of a Monetary Authority Chinese couplet competition promoting the use of good-as-new notes during the Lunar New Year period were awarded at a prize presentation ceremony today.

More than 600 entries were received in the secondary school, senior citizen and open categories this year. There were five winners in each category.

The winning couplets were selected for their ability to communicate in a literary and elegant way the message that using good-as-new notes in laisee packets is just as auspicious as using new notes, and, more importantly, is environmentally-friendly.

The authority said its promotional efforts on using good-as-new notes in recent years have worked, with the share of brand-new notes to total banknotes issued in the run-up to the last Lunar New Year period falling to 56% from 79% in 2006.

The three note-issuing banks will start exchanging new notes on February 2, and will make sure there are sufficient good-as-new notes to meet public demand.