New Haitian president promises change
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- A newly inaugurated Michel Martelly promised to change the image of his disaster-prone nation Saturday while leading it into a new era of modernity -- a country where education will be free and obligatory, he told Haitians, and change will not be compromised.
"Hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, we are going to change Haiti. We are going to remake this country. We are going to remake its face," Martelly said, speaking forcefully in Creole from the transformed grounds of the broken National Palace. "We cannot continue with this humiliation of having to extend our hand for help all of the time."
Martelly opened his speech by acknowledging former President Eartha Truillot and Rene Preval, who, along with the Provisional Electoral Council, were jeered by the festive crowds looking at the ceremony through the wrought-iron green gate.
Speaking in Creole, French and English, Martelly, 50, emphasized strong leadership and continued with his campaign of promises, saying that his will be a presidency that will not tolerate people blocking change, and that he will not tolerate anything preventing investments, including land anarchy and instability.
Turning to the international community, he said in English, "Haiti is open for business."
A popular musician, Martelly had long ago crowned himself president, but of konpa music, a popular form of Haitian music that made him a star on the party circuit. But it wasn't until yesterday's investiture inside a crowded temporary building that he became the president of Haiti. Taking the oath of office in the dark, after the lights went out, he swore to obey the constitution of this nation, a country wrecked by disaster and instability, and struggling to dig itself out from the devastation of last year's 7.0-magnitude earthquake.
Bernardito Cleopas Auza, the Roman Catholic Church's Apostolic Nuncio, called Saturday a good day for Haiti.
"Personally, I'm very happy for Haiti, and I hope we can have some reconciliation going forward," he said.
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Get ready for sun and fun with NewsdayTV's summer FunBook special! From celebrating America's 250th birthday to a new ride at Adventureland, NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your inside look at Newsday's summer FunBook.
