1.
GV Crowds in front of City Hall
0.08

2.
LV Portrait of Duvalier
0.10

3.
CU Portrait of Jean Claude Duvalier
0.14

4.
SV PAN People queue to vote
0.29

5.
SV People voting (3 shots)
0.45

6.
GV Crowd outside City Hall
0.50

7.
LV Portrait of Jean Claude Duvalier
0.53

8.
GV Jubilant crowds on lorries through city (3 shots)
1.09

9.
SV People dance in street.
1.14



Initials BB/2259 BB/0036



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The people of Haiti went to the polls on Sunday, January 31st, to vote on a referendum to ratify Jean Claude Duvalier to succeed his father, Dr. Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier, as permanent President of the country. After the voting, the crowds took to the streets singing and dancing in celebration.

Film out of Haiti is rare--and this one was filmed by the National Newsreel company of the Dominican Republic.

The referendum followed 63-year-old President Duvalier's January 2nd Message to the Nation, when he announced that he would hand over power to youth when the time came. Although he did not specifically name his 20-year-old son as his successor, the Army Chiefs pledged their allegiance to him and to Jean Claude five days later.