An executive with the British Columbia Lottery Corporation has been reimbursed by B.C. taxpayers after enjoying a $17.50 glass of Dun Eideann, a fine single-malt Scotch whisky. It was quaffed during a stay at the $360-a-night Sydney House, in the Chelsea area of London, England.

The drink, ordered by George Sweny, the vice-president of bingo for BCLC, was part of more than $26,600 spent to send him and five others-including three bingo-hall owners or representatives-on an eight-day trip to England and Wales in January and February of 2004. At the time, the BCLC was considering introducing slot machines and other forms of casino gambling to B.C.'s 41 bingo halls. The six travellers were to look at how those countries manage their gambling industries.

The BCLC, a Crown corporation, is accountable through the province's freedom-of-information law, under which the Straight obtained the expense documents from the United Kingdom trip.

Elaine Hughston, bingo director for the BCLC, was on the trip, as were Wendy Thompson from Planet Bingo, Tom Nellis from Playtime Bingo, and Merle Gardner from Lucky's Ventures Ltd. in Williams Lake. There was also an unnamed contractor from a company called Capgemini Canada Inc. on the trip "on behalf of BCLC".

The BCLC reimbursed that contractor for a total of $4,228 plus $812 for a plane ticket. That includes $102 for taxi rides between the contractor's home and Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Airport. It also includes drinks at the Sydney House, including four glasses of VSOP cognac at $17.50 each. The BCLC's manager of corporate communications, Roberta Kjelson, told the Straight that the contractor's name was removed from the documents because the BCLC's contract is with the company, not the individual.

Nellis is the president, CEO, and largest single shareholder of a company called Playtime Community Gaming Centres Inc., which owns eight bingo halls in B.C. While on the trip, he racked up $2,854 in expenses on top of the $949 for his plane ticket.

His expenses include two bottles of wine ordered to room service. The first, a bottle of Château Lacroix, cost $43, including tax and assuming an exchange rate of $2.50 per British pound. The second, bought a few days later, was a bottle of Côtes du Rhone for $49.

Since the trip, two of Playtime's B.C. bingo halls, in Campbell River and Courtenay, have been approved to add slots.