B ut the scandal involving Tong Hin-ming's squandering (foolish or extravagant wasting) of public money on expensive wine and liquor has made the government afraid of serving wine at official functions. I was among the guests invited to Government House by Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying last month for his first in a series of dinners to discuss political reforms. I enjoy having a glass of wine in the evenings before dinner. I usually have another glass during dinner. Wine was served when I attended former chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen's farewell lunch and former chief secretary Stephen Lam Sui-lung's farewell party in the evening that same day.
I was expecting to be offered a glass of wine when I arrived at Government House for C.Y. Leung's dinner, since it is a given at such functions. But only Chinese tea was served. I was taken aback (surprised, shocked). I thought to myself wine would surely be served during dinner. But only water was served. I quietly cursed (swore at) Tong Hin-ming. I won't tell you what expletives I used because I know my editor wouldn't print them. Luckily I didn't say those expletives out loud because I was sitting right next to C.Y. Leung. The government has now become very frugal (careful in spending money) when it involves wine. I may boycott future government functions. I blame Tong Hin-ming for that.
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每趟我想起前廉政專員湯顯明，我都好想向他大拋（hurl）粗言穢語（expletives）。我真的很惱怒（peed off）他，就讓我慢慢說明。他一手（single-handedly）改變了整個政府的餐飲文化（culture）。一個社會的culture就是它的生活方式、習慣與行為。The drinking culture of the government即是政府的餐飲習性與行為。過往每次我出席政府宴會，酒水供應是不成文的規定（a given）。A given即是約定俗成，廣為接受的情況。例如，人們例牌（a given）會在中秋節吃月餅。
湯顯明揮霍（squandering）公帑買入貴酒與烈酒的醜聞，令政府現在於官方場合不敢以酒類待客。上個月特首梁振英接連於禮賓府宴客，討論政改議題，我也是第一次宴會的座上客。我喜歡於傍晚吃晚飯前先喝一杯酒，用膳期間又喝另一杯。以往我出席前特首曾蔭權的告別午宴，和同日傍晚前政務司司長林瑞麟的告別派對，均有美酒招待。
當到達禮賓府出席梁振英晚宴時，我期望會有一杯酒奉上，因為在這種場合是理所當然的（a given）。但他們只奉上中國茶，令我十分訝異（taken aback）。我本來以為晚膳時一定有酒，怎知只得白開水。我暗暗咒罵（cursed）湯顯明，我不會告訴你我用了甚麼粗口（expletives），因為我知道編輯一定不會刊登。幸好，我沒有大聲說粗口（expletives），因我就坐在梁振英旁邊。只要牽涉到酒水，政府現在就變得非常節儉（frugal）。我會杯葛將來的政府宴會，而湯顯明就是罪魁禍首。mickchug@gmail.com
中譯:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
Source: http://news.hkheadline.com/dailynews/headline_news_detail_columnist.asp?id=255149§ion_name=wtt&kw=126