AN unusual tip on how to get rid of party guests and finish all the booze yourself comes from the unlikely source of Michael Sze Cho-cheung, the boss of the territory's Civil Service.
Every fortnight or so he hosts a drinks-fest for colleagues in the Central Government Offices, starting at 6pm. Conveniently, the building's air-conditioning goes off at 7pm. As the room temperature soars, everyone feels the need to head off for fresh air. A neat trick.
At one of these parties last week, Backbites spotted Mr Sze, his smooth sidekick Chris Jackson and another colleague happily surveying an empty room at 7.15pm. Empty, that is, apart from some bottles of wine which they were cheerfully knocking back. Incidentally, this was also the day Mr Sze finally cleared Royston Griffey and his band of expat civil servants out of court.