HSBC bungles (搞壞) bauhinia notes (鈔票)

Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp has admitted (承認) a flaw (note 1) has been found in the design (設計) of its new HK$100 bank note.

The note has for its theme (note 2) the flag-raising ceremony (升旗禮) of the SAR Establishment Day (回歸日). The image shows a band playing in front of the Golden Bauhinia Square, where the national flag and regional flag of Hong Kong are flying (note 3). The bauhinia symbol on the regional flag is reversed (方向相反). HSBC, together with BOC HK (2388) and Standard Chartered Bank, revealed (公開) the latest designs of their HK$20, HK$50 and HK$100 bank notes on Friday. They are scheduled to be put into circulation (流通) between November and January 2012.

"HSBC has immediately proceeded to redesign and reprint the faulty (有問題的) banknotes, with a view to (note 4) putting them into circulation early next year as scheduled," the bank said in a joint statement with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the government's administration wing. This is to ensure that people can get these new notes before Chinese New Year for their red packets (利是、紅封包). HSBC was responsible for the design of the notes, while the HKMA reviewed (檢閱) the design before revealing it to the public. The administration wing also reviewed the banknotes for approval.

"The three parties had not detected the issue," the statement said. "We sincerely apologize for the incident." Legislators slammed (note 5) the bank and the HKMA for the mistake, which they termed as unacceptable. "It is a joke," said Wong Kwok-hing, lawmaker of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions.

"The notes, fortunately, have not yet been put into circulation." Civic Party lawmaker Ronny Tong Ka-wah said he is concerned about the way the HKMA handled the whole matter.

From good to better English:

(note 1) a flaw=瑕疵，缺點。a flaw in an otherwise perfect character=白璧之瑕，美德中僅有的缺點。Flawless=完美無缺的。

(note 2) theme=主題 (primary topic, subject, or idea)。Victor loves the theme song of the movie “the Graduate”=Victor喜愛電影”畢業生”的主題歌。Theme park)=主題公園。

(note 3) flag flying=旗幟飛揚。A white flag =表示投降。Hoist a flag half-mast=下半旗致哀。Flag down a taxi=打手勢讓計程車停止。

(note 4) with a view to= 目的 (For the purpose of, aiming toward) 例句: Victor’s houses on Beacon Hill were designed with a view to increasing air flow=Victor在筆架山的房子建做時是以空氣流通為目的。View=看法，意見。a point of view= 觀點。Mo Mo falls in with Bo Bo's views= Mo Mo和Bo Bo意見一致。in my view=照我看來。Miss Standard Ivy stands in full view of the crowd =Standard 小姐Ivy站在人群能清楚看見的地方。

(note 5) slam=猛烈抨擊。slam the door=砰地一聲關上門；比喻斷然拒絕考慮。Slam=碰撞 (crash)。Yin Ping’s bike slammed into a truck yesterday=延平的單車昨天撞上一輛貨車。

Victor’s View: It is very unfortunate that after three levels of checking, the bank notes’ new design still has an error that wasn’t spotted. Does it reflect the working attitude of Hong Kong people? Come on folks, there’s no room for complacency!

(Victor Fung Keung, director of HK Baptist University’s M.A. in international journalism program, has published 4 books on English-enhancement [the latest, titled <<學會演說、改變你的人生>>, was published on July 18] and plans to write 6 more by the end of 2012. Write to him: deanfungenglish@gmail.com)