Chief breaks window deadlock

Chief breaks window deadlock (from The Standard, June 2, 2011)

[Caught between a rock and a hard place (note 1), Tsang agrees to remove glass panels from verandah]

The deadlock (僵局) over the glass panels (玻璃鑲板) around the chief executive's verandah (陽臺) was broken last night when he acknowledged they must go. Donald Tsang Yam-kuen said he would pull down (note 2) the panels covering the verandah of his controversial (具爭議性的) flat at 64 MacDonnell Road, just one day after insisting (堅持) he did not think they were illegal structures (潛建物). Tsang, who owns the property under the name of a company, said he would follow the advice despite the Buildings Department not saying the panels are illegal structures. He appointed "an authorized person" (授權人) to inspect (檢視) the premises.

"To put all things beyond doubt (note 3), I have instructed the authorized person to dismantle (拆卸) the existing glass panels as soon as possible ((note 4) in accordance with the Buildings Department's advisory letter, and to follow up with the reconstruction (重建) of a verandah of the living room that meets all legal requirements." Chinese University political scientist Ivan Choy Chi-keung believes Tsang's decision was made out of political considerations (note 5), rather than to set a good example (note 6) or to show the administration is firm on cracking down (打擊) on illegal structures. "Tsang understood the story would be run in the media (note 7) for more days if he decided to seek professional advice to prove the window panels were not illegal structures," Choy said.

From good to better English:

(note 1) caught between a rock and a hard place=進退兩難。

(note 2) pull down=拆卸; pull=拉，拖，牽; pull tricks=耍欺詐手段。 Victor’s singing pulls a large crowd=Victor的歌唱吸引了許多人。 pull a ligament in one's leg=扭傷腿。pull a knife=拔刀。pull a long face=扳起面孔。pull back=改變主意。 Sai Wo, you must pull yourself together=世臥，你要重新振作起來。

(note 3) put all things beyond doubt=再沒有絲毫懷疑。the life beyond=來世。It is beyond my power to give Ivan a 20% pay rise=我無法加Ivan 20% 薪水。beyond expectation=超出預想。 beyond expression /description=非筆墨所能形容

(note 4 ) as soon as possible=儘快

(note 5) made out of political considerations=基於政治因素考慮

(note 6) set a good example=做好榜樣。a head set 聽筒、耳機。get set=預備。all set=準備就緒。

(note 7) run in the media=傳媒報導

Victor’s View: I think Donald Tsang is very smart in closing the case and preventing himself from further scathing media criticism. The longer the controversy drags on, the harder his integrity and reputation will be hurt. Move on, Donald!

(Victor Fung, director of HK Baptist University’s M.A. in international journalism program, has published 3 books on English-enhancement and plans to write 7 more by the end of 2012. Write to him: deanfungenglish@gmail.com)