Video of president Martelly's speech and excerpts from it in English

Haiti - Inauguration : Important moments of the speech of Michel Martelly
15/05/2011 10:24:00


"My dear compatriots, by assigning me by your vote on 20 March, the destiny of the Republic of Haiti, you made ​​me the first servant [...] The march towards this victory has been long and painful, it has mobilized all our determination and the courage of the Haitian people, I want to tell you that without the appreciated support of the International Community, once too often, the popular vote would have been confiscated, that the Haitian people be proud and that the friends of Haiti to be thanked.

[...] I told you to have confidence in me and you can have confidence in me [...] hand in hand, shoulder against shoulder, we will change Haiti, rebuild the country, give it a new image.

[...] We can no longer continue to humiliate us while begging, with this policy of begging. We are workers, we work well when opportunities are given to us [...] The Haitian people is a people who has courage, like the courage of Capois La-Mort, Dessalines, Michaëlle Jean, Wyclef Jean, Dumarsais Siméus and many others...

[...] Haitians, this country is ours, let us gather to remake our country. But, for there is work in Haiti, there must have security in the country, security for people, for our goods, for the production, money for investment, for investors, so that farmers can produce... That I'm not going to negotiate, if a person comes to clutter, create instability so that the country can not function, I am sorry, the justice will act against these people, justice will act as it should.

[...] it is necessary to have respect, so that investors gain confidence, come to invest, build, so that we can find the development that I seek, I seek development for you, so that you get out of poverty, so you can live another way.

[...] to the judicial and police authorities I renew my confidence, I tell you that there was enough of kidnapping, violence against women, killings of natives and police officers, that there had been enough injustice on the population, we will restore the authority of the state, the rule of law. The order and discipline will prevail throughout the entire national territory...

[...] Under my presidency, the obligation of the State, will be to serve the Haitian people, the same way, under my presidency, the obligation of the citizen, will be to fulfill its civic duty, its duty as a citizen, paying its taxes so that it can find the services that the state owes it.

[...] For a long time we use the poverty of the country to settle our business, too many people use the misery of our country... this must stop. It is time to start selling our cultural riches, Haiti is a rich country, we have the most beautiful beaches in the world, the most beautiful sun of the Caribbean and the deepest culture, diverse and authentic, a glorious past, the Citadelle Henry and the ruins of the Palais of Milot testify it. Yes, Haitian people, this's not just poverty we have in our country [...] let us take this opportunity to ask the whole world to put the misery of Haiti in a drawer, to bury the misery of Haiti...

[...] how many celebrities, we would have had if we had supervised our youth, by putting them in sport, by removing them from the street ? Haitian, Haitian, Haiti asleep but now will wake up and stand up. A society without morals, a society without values ​​is the same as a car without a driver.

[...] Today I say I will put every child in school for free, they say I'm crazy because I said "free school", I have news for you, not only I will ask the school for free, but I will fight for the school becomes mandatory. [...] that's how I'm going to remove children from the street, that's how a leader is responsible, that's how Haiti will come out of its misery.

For those who think that Haiti is only Port-au-Prince, the centralization will come, this is not only in Port-au-Prince which must be rebuilt, it's all the country that needs to be built, rebuilt, which needs to be reforested, to be developed...

[...] a Haiti where land will be tilled, where seeds are available, where crops will not be wasted, where crops are profitable, the land will not be ungrateful, because men will take care of it, this is called "Repon Peyizan"

[...] A Haiti where the middle class will grow, because the middle class is the economic engine of a country, a Haiti, where a change in our mindset will allow us to enter in the modern world [...] A Haiti where the slum aren't the cities, where the Haitian people will find water, electricity, services so that this country can be called a country. A Haiti where we will give people the means of birth control, where health is not a luxury...

[...] My people, my Haitian people, street people, unemployed, trust me, things will really change, traders, merchants, workers, people under the tents, the country's women, the disabled I have not forgotten you, you know I'm made for you, climb, get up, Haiti awaits you. Your President Tet Kalé is ready to walk hand in hand with you to bring a better life.

I ask the international community, to have confidence in me, you'll find another leadership, a good partnership, within the respect of each other, with good governance, transparency and honesty. This is a new Haiti, a new Haiti open for business now.

With the will of all, with the grace of the Grand Master, we will put Haiti in front, Haiti first, always Haiti, Haiti my country, Haiti Cheri Tet Kalé."

Source for the text: http://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-2957-haiti-inauguration-important-moments-of-the-speech-of-michel-martelly.html