Day 078 - 26 Jan 95 - Page 54


     
     1        which is a Defendants' document.  He had meetings with
     2        McDonald's representatives about the issue of sources of
     3        beef.  This, basically, is Central American beef.  He says
     4        in that letter: "It still appears to us" after following
     5        these negotiations or discussions "that your organisation
     6        is unable to prove categorically that it does not buy beef
     7        from Central American sources".  Were you asked to comment
     8        at all or have any input to the discussions between
     9        McDonald's and Friends of the Earth?
    10        A.  No.
    11
    12   Q.   Did you know it was happening, taking place?
    13        A.  I do not remember it because you just said Central
    14        America, did not you?
    15
    16   Q.   Yes.
    17        A.  No, I would not have had anything to do with it.
    18
    19   Q.   I think under Central America they are including ----
    20        A.  No, Brazil is in South America, not Central America.
    21
    22   Q.   Was this Brazilian episode hushed up by McDonald's?
    23        A.  No.
    24
    25   Q.   It is not something that was publicised at the time though?
    26        A.  McDonald's ----
    27
    28   Q.   As far as you remember?
    29        A.  It was not hushed up and it was not publicised.
    30        McDonald's do not list who I buy beef from every week.
    31
    32   Q.   But anybody in the company would have known?
    33        A.  Oh, anybody in my company would have known.  Anybody
    34        involved in production, anybody involved in quality
    35        control.
    36
    37   Q.   Would people know today that it happened?  Is it something
    38        that is well-known that it happened, I mean, within the
    39        company and that it ----
    40        A.  I would think that within the company, apart from men
    41        who are now quite senior in management, it is long gone and
    42        forgotten.  I would think in the meat industry it is known
    43        because the experiment was known.
    44
    45   Q.   But people in senior positions will know about this, in
    46        McDonald's will know about this episode?  It is not
    47        something that was hushed up?
    48        A.  I cannot speak for McDonald's.  I can only speak for
    49        McKey.  I said my senior management would remember it.
    50 
    51   Q.   At that time you were, effectively, part of McDonald's so 
    52        McDonald's senior management would know about it as well? 
    53        A.  The directors of McKey who were McDonald's people I am
    54        sure knew about it.
    55
    56   Q.   I am just trying to find out if it was hushed up.  That is
    57        why I am asking this question.
    58
    59   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Do you know of any kind of instruction,
    60        verbal, memorandum ----

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