1.
SV EXT Presidential Palace, new members of Government arrive (3 shots)
0.21

2.
SV President Tsiranana sits down, ZOOM OUT TO Ministers grouped around.
0.32

3.
SV PAN Ministers to President seated with four Vice-Presidents, Calvin Tseibo, Jacques Rabemananjara, Andre Resampa and Victor Miadana.
0.48

4.
CU Calvin PAN TO Rabemananjara PAN TO President PAN TO Resampa PAN TO Miadana
0.58

5.
GV Group pose for pictures
1.02

6.
GV EXT Palace, TILT TO President shaking hands with new Members
1.15



Initials BB/2350 JB/AS/BB/0015



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The newly formed government of Malagasy held its first meeting on Friday, February the 19th. President Philibert Tsiranana had dissolved the previous government two days earlier. The dissolution came only six months after the general elections.

The President said he formed the new government to teach his ministers a lesson. He said he had threatened them with dissolution. He dissolved the government to teach them a lesson by changing their posts and encouraging them to show greater unity.

The President, who is supreme commander of the armed forces and Minister of Defence, takes a new portfolio in the new government, that of the Interior.

The new government also contains the newly created post of State Secretary of Information in charge of the press. The President said the secretariat was formed to revitalise what he termed the "rather tottering and anarchic press."