Tuesday, January 10, 2012

ARTICLE - MARTELLY - STATE OF UNION 2012

PRESIDENT MICHEL MARTELLY STATE OF THE UNION 2012
(Defend Haiti) - By J. Michel Martelly .

PORT-AU-PRINCE - The President of the Republic, Michel Joseph Martelly, delivered the State of the Union before the National Assembly that opened ordinary sessions for 2012 on Monday January 9.

President of the National Assembly,
Mr. Vice-President of the National Assembly,
Honourable Members of the Board of the National Assembly,
Presidents and members of parliamentary committees,
Honourable Members,
President of the Court of Cassation,
Honours of the Court of Cassation,

Mr. Prime Minister,
Distinguished members of the Cabinet,

Distinguished Heads of Diplomatic Missions,
Mr. Special Representative to the Secretary General of the United Nations,
Distinguished Representatives of International Organizations,

Honourable Members,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a tradition of our republican home, that on the second Monday of the month of January, the Head of State takes the floor, before the National Assembly on the occasion of the opening of the ordinary session of parliamentary proceedings.

This is an important moment, I know.

This is my first speech in front of you. I measure the solemnity.

It gives me the first opportunity to present my best wishes to you all without exception....For your personal happiness, surely, also that of your families. The family is the first foundation of society.

But specifically, I make my wishes to have a settling in 2012, between the legislative and executive powers, reporting more in line with the spirit of democracy that I advocate, and that I would liketo see more serene.

It is young. It has the passion, drive, sometimes arrogant, but it is always in sincerity. I prefer to say more, this good faith is the preserve of institutions and good men.

But make no mistake, the serenity that I hope for, does not mean that in our democracy everyone has to agree on everything and in everything.

A peaceful democracy..., I mean rather a political system based on listening and mutual respect, which manages its disagreements without penalizing the entire nation.

"Democracy should not make war with democracy."

Other fronts call urgently; larger, nobler, more beneficial to society. It is this quest for a better Haiti for her children, that today we must mold.

Honourable Parliamentarians,

The Head of State must make the proper operation of all three branches and I cannot take sides with one power against another. I'm here beyond a constitutional obligation, I am here today because of the importance of the parliamentary work. It is you who are building references to the rule of law by voting, day after day, the legal framework in which the nation must change. Your work is immense, and deserves respect.

The state as I see it must be to serve the citizen. This requires the harmonious action of all three powers, good governance, an efficient and professional public administration, an independent judiciary with integrity, and national police, who in their actions, must be the guarantor of respect for life and property.

This rule of law,... I want it available to all without exclusion, guaranteed individual freedoms and property rights.

Last year, we, on our own, did our best to advance Haiti. This year, to bring out Haiti, we can only do that together!

I look forward in particular to see that the Prime Minister that I appointed and that you had authorized pursues with his government the establishment of an outline of the actions for which I was overwhelmingly mandated.

You are now presented the main points.

Never will I stop insisting that Haiti's misery, selfishness and begging, which has prevailed so far, disappears forever to make way for Haiti a vibrant, dynamic, prosperous, and fair firmly focused on the future.

I am thinking particularly of rural areas. Time to do justice to the Haitian peasantry has arrived. This component of our society for too long, largely paid their dues without receiving anything in return. It is time that a new generation comes to power, and promises a response to the farmers.

The Government,.... I reiterate my request. Parliament, I seek help. Population, its active participation. It is necessary that the State undertakes to invest heavily in rural areas to preserve existing infrastructure, create new ones and provide services to farmers, to enable them to generate substantial productivity gains.

But we must not forget that the farmer is now requesting the city. Pushed out of his home by irresponsible economic policies, refusing isolation of scattered settlements, wanting to get their children the benefits of instruction, the farmer comes to the cities in search of a better life....

That is why the peasant question can be addressed without a real policy planning. Use of land is to ensure that we put the right infrastructure in the right places. We take into account the needs of populations in terms of size and providing basic services. This is to ensure that investment, the revitalization of the economy is deployed throughout the country, and that is not limited to the Republic of Port-au-Prince. This is the basis of true devolution and decentralization. This is the basis of a real restoration of the urban and rural environments. This is one of the priorities of governance change. Land use planning is to ensure harmony between the population, territory and investment to create a decent living and economic opportunities in the deepest depths of the country,....

In terms of the Defense Forces:

I take this opportunity to project my vision, which is that of setting up a New Defence Force for our territory.

In doing so, the state regains its sovereignty and prepares, as and when, the next generation of MINUSTAH.

The Defense Force will take over control of the territory and its borders, and lend support to the police if necessary,

It will also intervene in cases of natural disasters and fulfill its constitutional mission.

2012 also should be, according to my views, the Year of boosting the economy. Yes, I encourage the Government to launch a revolution of growth, choosing strategies, structuring institutions, working with all stakeholders, and carrying out coherent actions in the following priority areas:

Crop production (with a particular focus on sectors for fruits and tubers)

Livestock production (breeding, fishing, fish farming)

Tourism

Housing and construction

The garment and light industry

I want to see these five priority areas supported by 5 transverse sectors:

Construction and infrastructure

A capital contribution to the SME sector;

Information Technology and Communication (ICT) in the knowledge that technology is the engine of competitiveness;

Education and training that meets the demand of priority areas for specific skills.

An environment conducive to business, achieved through a public private partnership (PPP), through reforms of public policies and the systematic promotion of entrepreneurship.

I want to see by this effort of improving the business environment to result, for the Government, that by next year our ranking in the index "Doing Business" will move from 162nd place to a level closer to our neighbors in the region.

The time has come for the country to go in another direction, choosing a different path and to finally be there for the average citizen.

Haiti being taken out of its LDC status is possible, taking full advantage of the benefits granted to it by this statute and the HOPE and HELP laws; for the creation of sustainable jobs, for the benefit of the Haitian population, and this done in a decentralized manner.

I insist, we will need more than last year:

Attracting foreign direct investment

Progressing to higher salaries and a growing supply of jobs

Improve the country's trade balance by a substantial increase in exports

One of the most important dimensions of globalization, for small economies, is the answer of regional integration. The regional context is full of opportunities. Our diplomacy, intelligent and active, has already managed to seize upon them. When I refer to the region, I want to put into perspective its main dimensions:

First, our immediate neighbor is the Dominican Republic, with whom we share the island. The major issues of migration and trade relations should be treated dynamically, as part of the Joint Bilateral Commission. Our approach is to look at the totality of the relationship: trade, investment, migration, security, etc.., together, and to find win-win arrangements.

The region is also the CARICOM, of which we have been active members for ten years. We will explore in more depth with them and the Dominican Republic, the potential of an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) CARIFORUM-European Union.

The year 2011 also showed us the vital importance for our relations with Latin America and the Caribbean. Our development strategy requires that we revisit our relationship with the major sub-continent. The strategy of integration and energy security in Latin America and the Caribbean also retain our attention.

With regard to our major economic partners in the financial and technical cooperation, I can only hope to improve the efficiency of it and have their continued support.

To those who have suffered the consequences of the earthquake or other natural disasters, plans will provide the means to rebuild their communities better and to make, finally, the provision of services such as water and sanitation, drainage, electricity, police, not to mention opportunities to earn income.

Speaking of education and human development, my concept of a socially just Haiti, has made education a top priority of my political agenda. The fruits are already there. But my goal is greater. I expect the Government to continue to make every effort to honor the commitments made to the Haitian people, ie, free access to quality schooling for all children across the country to ensure that 'they stay at least until the end of the 6th year and come out with the basic skills for an established profile.

I express also the hope that government action will set up in all departments of the country a vocational training center to meet the needs of young people and taking into account the specific development potential of each.

to support the reconstruction and development of the provision of higher education and university, including the strengthening of the State University of Haiti (UEH) and five public universities in the region;

to the benefit of training and learning technologies in information and communication technologies (ICTs);

My dearest wish is that 2012 gives us the opportunity to fully assume the triptych of our Republic:
Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.

The Haiti that was the sum of internal strife, murder, kidnapping, embargo, anarchy, chaos, environmental destruction, selfishness, greed: This is Haiti, it is necessary that it changes!

Today there are still 8 million of our compatriots still living without electricity.

5 million of us can not read or write and are in the dark, day and night.

8 out of 10 Haitians live on less than U.S.$ 2 a day

2 out of 100 Haitians control 69% of the country's wealth

a labor force estimated at 4.2 million with less than 200,000 people having formal and regular employment

84% of Haitian university graduates living abroad

Finally, the middle class is bloodless

But is it not said that it is in the worst disaster that proves the character of the people?

In common with Hernan Cortes who landed in Mexico, and burning his ships, to signify to his soldiers that no retreat was possible, or Henri Christophe, burning the city of Cape Town, starting with his own residence first, when the troops of Napoleon landed, to make clear to his troops that no sacrifice is too much in this nation. I will work, too, to destroy the ships of intolerance and to sterilizee, to demolish buildings and insidious, bias, treacherous lies, which has led us to the edge of the most unnecessarily dramatic situation of our national history.

I see for Haiti a new era, a new philosophy of public service, fully oriented services to the public, establishing a climate conducive to investment and employment, and the constant search for RESULTS .

Far from wanting to socialize poverty, I will resolutely work towards the creation of wealth in order to jointly share the profits, without exclusion.

The tutelary gods of the nation are watching over us. God bless the sons and daughters of Haiti.

Thank you.

Michel Joseph Martelly,
Head of State

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