Day 285 - 23 Oct 96 - Page 38
1 come on to the detail in terms of what happens on the
2 ground in central and Latin America.
3
4 The overall conclusion about the policies is that in any
5 event they are completely incapable of stopping the damage
6 to the tropical forests and rainforests, even if they were
7 watertight, hundred percent monitored, imposed, whatever,
8 because the damage is done by McDonald's promotion of the
9 global demand for beef products, which is the cause of
10 tropical forest destruction in Central and Latin America.
11 Can I just sit down? (Pause)
12
13 Just one extra point is that their witnesses on this
14 subject were not credible, contradictory. In particular,
15 Mr. Oakley, for example, was kind of all over the place on
16 the subject and I did give some reference, I think, to --
17 and the other witnesses I have pointed out some of the
18 contradictions and inadequacies of their evidence and
19 seemingly their ability to know their job as regarding
20 this particular matter.
21
22 Can I just say that we have come to a natural break. And
23 I would like to break today, if we can.
24
25 MR JUSTICE BELL: Yes. Well, I do not mind that. My only
26 anxiety is, you know, what the time schedule is. I think
27 I said this morning you have got six weeks and I was
28 forgetting that we started a week later than anticipated.
29 But all I will repeat is, I am in your hands. If it is
30 better to stop at twenty to four so that you do better or
31 we do not waste time just by staying in court for half an
32 hour, well and good. Keep your eye on the overall
33 schedule, that is all.
34
35 MR. MORRIS: Yes. Can I say, and it is not facetious, but I
36 am conscious that it is important that obviously you are
37 taking quite extensive notes which is obviously very
38 important, but we cannot afford to buy the transcripts
39 except for on specific days, but if the plaintiffs did
40 provide transcripts to the court, I am not suggesting they
41 should, it would be helpful. We would feel able to check
42 if we had them.
43
44 MR JUSTICE BELL: My objection, when I considered this on two
45 occasions in July, I think it was, of last year, I said
46 I would feel uncomfortable having anything in print other
47 than anything, of course, which I prepared myself for my
48 own purposes which one party rather than the other had.
49 If you say to me, categorically, "We do not mind you
50 having a transcript of our submissions even though we do
51 not have it ourselves", after all you have made the
52 submissions and Miss Steel will make some in due course, I
53 will take it, provided McDonald's are prepared to provide
54 it. But having said that, it is a matter completely for
55 the parties. I am getting what I hope is a very good note
56 of the points you make and I particularly have taken down
57 every single reference you have given me on such and such
58 a day, page, line, et cetera.
59
60 MR. MORRIS: Right. Yes, but obviously...
