AP EXCLUSIVE Interview with Haitian president Martelly

• Report rights infringement
• published: 30 Jul 2015
• views: 938

SHOTLIST 1. Various set up shots of Haitian President Michel Martelly singing "Imagine" by John Lennon and playing the piano 2. More set up shots of Martelly (who was a singer before he became president) 3. SOUNDBITE (English) Michel Martelly, Haitian President: "If we have really identified the MINUSTAH (United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti) as responsible (for the cholera outbreak) the question today should not be ''you got to leave.'' First of all the question should be ''help us solve the problem, you have the means, we don''t''." 4. Cutaway, mid shot of Martelly 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Michel Martelly, Haitian President: "We are following closely the case, as I have asked the UN representative in Haiti to make sure that justice is done, and we are following the case. Now, some people, some politicians are taking advantage of that and motivating people to take to the streets for political reasons and ask for the retreat of the MINUSTAH." 6. Cutaway, mid shot of Martelly 7. SOUNDBITE (English) Michel Martelly, Haitian President: "In the past, everyone, including myself, has criticised the IHRC (Interim Haiti Recovery Commission) for being slow in the reconstruction process. But since I came in power this ''16X6 project'' (16 neighbourhoods will be reconstructed to relocate people from 6 camps) is an example of what is happening as far as reconstruction (goes). Ninety-eight million (US dollars) being allocated to remove people out of six camps." 8. Tilt up Martelly 9. Wide of Martelly STORYLINE Haitian President Michel Martelly announced on Thursday he''ll return to the stage briefly in December for a concert he hopes will raise 10 (m) million US dollars for his nation''s schools. The long-time performer and recording artist sang and played the piano for the media interviewing him, showing that he remains in touch with his artistic side. But the 50-year-old acknowledged that it hasn''t been all fun since he was elected in the spring. Martelly said assuming the presidency has caused him to change his mind about some things, including his past opinion that United Nations peacekeeping troops should leave the Caribbean nation of 10 (m) million. The UN force was first established in Haiti in 1994 to help maintain order after political violence engulfed the country. Protests calling for the departure of the force continue to erupt in Haiti, where many people remain angry over a cholera outbreak likely introduced by a battalion from Nepal. The epidemic has killed more than 6,200 people since its outbreak nearly a year ago. "The question today should not be ''you got to leave.'' First of all the question should be ''help us solve the problem, you have the means, we don''t''," Martelly said when asked about the role of the UN Mission in the cholera outbreak. Protesters are also angry over the alleged sexual assault of an 18-year-old Haitian man by peacekeepers from Uruguay in the southwestern town of Port-Salut in July. "We are following closely the case and I have asked the UN representative in Haiti to make sure that justice is done," Martelly said. The Haitian president blamed "some people" and politicians he would not name for stirring up the protesters. Martelly said much of his energy is now consumed by the ongoing reconstruction of the nation after last year''s devastating quake, and plans to move tens of thousands of people out of camps into permanent homes. "In the past everyone, including myself, has criticised the IHRC (Interim Haiti Recovery Commission) for being slow in the reconstruction process but since I came in power this ''16X6 project'' is an example of what is happening," he said. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/7cd29f7490da7157323c82ecd3127c2c Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork