We always knew HSBC was a bank with a big heart; now Bloomberg News tells us the bank pays the cleaners at its London Docklands headquarters well above the going rate: GBP5 (about HK$61) an hour compared with the more prevalent legal minimum pay of GBP4.20. The HSBC cleaners' pay rate has been hailed by the East London Communities Organisation (Elco), a lobby group for low-paid workers, which comprises special interest groups including churches, mosques and trade unions. 'We are delighted that the contract cleaners at HSBC are getting the highest rate in the area but we still believe they do not earn enough to support a family in London,' an Elco spokesman said. Elco had a hand in giving the bank's cleaners a better deal; back in May it bought HSBC shares so it could get into the HSBC annual meeting and put some pertinent pay-related questions to highly paid chairman John Bond. 'HSBC is not without sympathy for the organisation's ultimate objective, a better life for those it represents,' a bank spokesman told Bloomberg. Double booked: The Hong Kong Jockey Club knows how to spoil its patrons. Regular diners at the club's Derby Room have been invited to 'a unique Dom Perignon Dinner' on December 3. Guest of honour at the dinner will be the big-name bubbly's international public relations man. 'Places are limited' the club warned on the invitation, and bookings would begin well in advance of this prestigious event, on November 4. Oh, and the chance to dine with Dom Perignon would cost each couple HK$2,670 including all the champagne they can drink. Now, spot the clever marketing ploy: the Jockey Club has written to everyone on the invitation list claiming there was a printing error on the original letters - the important booking date which was published as November 4 should have read November 10. An alert reader asks: 'One would have thought that since they had already printed the booking date as November 4, what is wrong with using that as the starting point for the booking process? Booking only involves a call to the Derby Room. Why go to all the expense of calling everyone and following up with a letter?' Hit for six: Some action in the stands caught the attention of the executives and friends of Cathay Pacific and Standard Chartered, joint sponsors of the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes during the gripping final between England and Pakistan on Sunday. Lai See, who comes from neither Pakistan nor England but loves cricket, saw at close range an enthusiastic young Pakistan supporter move straight to the base of the hard-core England supporter stand bearing his national flag and wearing . . . an Osama Bin Laden mask. Osama seemed to be surprised by the instant response: a hail of cans of Kingfisher, a palatable Indian beer labelled 'More Thrillingly Cool' and distributed by the wonderful Chinese University student Shirley. First to bowl a missile was undoubtedly England, but other Pakistan supporters came to Osama's aid. As Muslims and non-beer drinkers, they bowled cans of soft drink and at least one large, white plastic food container lid into the heart of England supporter territory. Women and children moved out of harm's way as the two sides braced for battle. From their vantage point in the elegant sponsors' booths overlooking the mayhem, Standard Chartered and Cathay Pacific figures quaked: all their solid marketing work looked under threat. Thank Goodness for the Nepali security team and dozens of Hong Kong's finest police who saved the day. Congratulations to Pakistan for its well earned victory in the Sixes! Three cheers for Ace Pakistan batsman Naved Latif for his dazzling display. And English bowler Ronnie Irani for his inspirational on-field antics. But most importantly, congratulations to Kingfisher marketer Shirley. You are Lai See's Star of the Week! Graphic: whee05gbz