Day 141 - 23 Jun 95 - Page 13
1
2 Q. First of all, did you personally look into it?
3 A. No.
4
5 Q. But somebody from -----
6
7 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Why not start at the beginning and ask if he
8 knew about any such allegation in respect of McDonald's in
9 the Canary Islands?
10
11 MR. MORRIS: Did you know about this situation?
12 A. I have some general knowledge of the situation, but if
13 your question is did I go to the Canary Islands, I did not
14 go to the Canary Islands.
15
16 Q. Did someone from your department go?
17 A. Not from Oak Brook, but from our office in Spain.
18
19 Q. That is the McDonald's Corporation office in Spain, is it?
20 A. I think it is now a corporate office; a wholly owned
21 subsidiary, I believe, now, yes.
22
23 Q. So what is your understanding? What I have just read out
24 to you, is that substantially the facts?
25 A. This is a matter that involves an owner/operator who we
26 have in default right now, my Lord, similar to the
27 description I gave to you before. I do not know if I need
28 to go into it? We have started legal proceedings against
29 this operator for a variety of reasons. I am aware that
30 there is a case concerning his training contracts and
31 whether or not he has sufficiently provided the training
32 that is required under those contracts. I also know that
33 the case is under appeal, and has been since 1993.
34
35 Q. Who was fined 13 million pesetas: was it the owner of that
36 store, the manager, or was it the McDonald's joint venture
37 partner or McDonald's subsidiary?
38 A. My understanding is that it is an owner/operator; and
39 whatever claims were being made, I do not know if he was
40 actually fined or they are making a claim, I do not have
41 that direct knowledge, but I understand that entire
42 proceeding is on appeal. But it is a particular,
43 I believe, owner/operator who is there, not against
44 McDonald's Corporation.
45
46 Q. But it is against the McDonald's store there?
47 A. The proceeding is against McDonald's store.
48
49 Q. Yes; and the store was closed down by the authorities at
50 some period, or completely, or what?
51 A. I know it is operating and running. I am afraid
52 I cannot help you with whether or not it was shut down at
53 some point in time. I really do not know that.
54
55 Q. So the operator of the McDonald's store was claiming money
56 from the state -----
57
58 MR. JUSTICE BELL: No. Just pause a moment. It may be just --
59 we have spoken about this before -- a manner of speaking,
60 but if you start your sentences with "so", it sounds as if
