Day 287 - 25 Oct 96 - Page 04
1 MR. MORRIS: Yes. I think I have indicated my views that Dr.
2 Gonzales was a very contradictory witness, obviously not
3 independent, and we would say obviously not an expert in
4 any relevant issue in this case because of the nature of
5 his replies.
6
7 He did say on day 68, page 33, line 12: "We have never even
8 mentioned that we were looking at moving product from
9 Brazil into any other country". And then, miraculously,
10 later on in his evidence he admitted that in fact Brazilian
11 beef had gone to McDonald's in other countries. So I just
12 wanted to point that out as what we would say was -- well,
13 could be construed as an attempt to mislead the court.
14
15 Just while I am on the subject of Dr. Gonzales and getting
16 him out of the way, he did say on day 67, page 53, I am not
17 sure exactly what line: "We have no control over what
18 animals go into the slaughter house, we cannot go and ask
19 every farmer in the world that can potentially supply
20 McDonald's." And that was about traceability.
21
22 His admissions about Uruguay, Argentina and Switzerland,
23 use of beef emanating from Brazil; Uruguay were on day 68,
24 page 53; Argentina was day 69, page 27.
25
26 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Just pause a moment. Uruguay was what?
27
28 MR. MORRIS: Day 68, page 53. Argentina was day 69, page 27.
29 But on the subject of Argentina, I think we actually got a
30 great deal more information from Mr. Cesca on that and I
31 have not got the references specifically. Switzerland was
32 day 69, page 28, line 30. He did say that all Brazlow's
33 meat comes from the same area, so if they export anything,
34 even if it is not for McDonald's, it will follow the same
35 policy about the rainforests. That was on day 69, page 28,
36 line 30. And therefore that we can assume that any
37 destructiveness of McDonald's usage in Brazil, in the
38 stores in Brazil, which you agree happened, would apply to
39 any exports by Mr. Gonzales' admission.
40
41 Just one point; I do not know if it was.... Day 67, page
42 59 and page 60, Dr. Gomez Gonzales stated that there was no
43 record of any Costa Rican supplier who had supplied any
44 other McDonald's restaurants around the world, but of
45 course he had never investigated in the export department.
46 I am not sure whether that was the same days that that is
47 the reference from, the second point, but we have heard
48 that, I have made that point, I think, anyway, already.
49
50 So he is coming to court and saying there has never been
51 any records about exporting to other McDonald's and then he
52 is saying he has never actually looked in their export
53 facility in the same complex to check. That was day 59,
54 line 52. He is relying entirely on the letters that we
55 have seen, which again are completely, we would say,
56 ambiguous and worthless as any kind of guarantee or
57 certification, or even, because of their ambiguity, it may
58 be the only conclusion, deliberately evasive to avoid
59 having to tell the truth. He does say though, he does
60 recognise this export capability of their supply firm in
