Day 142 - 26 Jun 95 - Page 11

     
     1   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  It is two pages on, please.
     2        A.  Oh, OK.  At the top it says:  "The Big Mac is here
     3        too".
     4
     5   MR. MORRIS:  Yes.
     6        A.  Yes, I have that.
     7
     8   Q.   The first sentence is:  "McDonald's in the Philippines.
     9        McDonald's first came to the Philippines in September 1981,
    10        setting up its first outlet here on Niconoraise Street,
    11        formally Morayta, within Manilla's University belt area.
    12        Within two years five more outlets were opened", it gives
    13        various places; the seventh outlet was opened on April 30th
    14        at United Nations Avenue.
    15
    16        Then it says:  "McGeorge Food Industries, the local
    17        franchise holder for McDonald's, Philippines, was organised
    18        in 1979."   Does that strike true with you as to how
    19        McDonald's in the Philippines started?
    20        A.  It is quite possible, but I really do not have a
         specific independent recollection of that, but it is quite
    22        possible that it started in the early 80s.
    23
    24   Q.   If you just look at the third column on that page, in the
    25        middle of that column, the third column, just above the
    26        level of the graphic on the left, in the third column, it
    27        says:  "McGeorge's labour cost represent nine per cent of
    28        total costs"?
    29        A.  Could you help me?  Where are you reading from?
    30
    31   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Someone has drawn a balloon around it.  If
    32        you look at the very top right-hand corner at the box with
    33        two silhouettes on it, then move across to the third
    34        column.
    35        A.  OK.
    36
    37   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Just ask a question about it.  Do not read
    38        from the article, Mr. Morris.  You have been fairly adept
    39        at doing it the correct way so far.  Just ask a question
    40        about it.  By all means ask him to look at it and then ask
         your question.
    42
    43   MR. MORRIS:  Having read that box, is it true that McDonald's
    44        franchisee, McGeorge's, labour costs represent about nine
    45        per cent of total costs?
    46        A.  I have no knowledge if it does or it does not.
    47
    48   Q.   Or was it true before?
    49        A.  I have no knowledge.  I think I have mentioned before,
    50        I am not a financial person.  I do not deal with P&Ls -- 
    51        I have no idea. 
    52 
    53   Q.   I think that is all I am going to ask.  There was something
    54        else I saw.  Yes, it is just in the middle column, the
    55        second to last paragraph at the very bottom; it talks about
    56        the Golden Arches Development Corporation.  Is that an
    57        existing organisation on the Philippines?
    58        A.  Could you tell me where you are reading from?
    59
    60   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  If you look at the right hand head in the