JACMEL, Haiti — Governor General Michaelle Jean was all but ambushed by enthusiastic crowds as she did a walkabout in the market area of Jacmel where she spent much of her childhood.

Security around the Haitian-born Governor General broke down completely amid the narrow streets and swellling crowds of well-wishers.

But Jean succeeded in a personal mission: to see the home of an aunt in which she had spent much of her childhood.

En route, the Governor General met old family friends and relatives as she picked her way through the rubble-strewn street.

People jostled and shoved for a look at the woman who rose to become the Queen's representative in Canada.

It was an emotional and chaotic day for Jean.

For the first time since the Jan. 12 earthquake, the Governor General was returning to the town of her childhood to see the damage and bring a message of optimism to its 40,000 citizens.

Greeted at the airport - a facility quickly reopened afer the quake thanks to Canadian troops - Jean told the deputy for the region that she saw hope among Haitians.

But the citizens of the town in which she spent some of her happiest moments wasted no time of their own requesting help from her and the Canadian government as the area recovers.

Amil Zeny of the local chamber of commerce, said Jacmel has benefited from Canadian aid but needs investment.

He and others also wanted their own government to decentralize and allow the area to run more independently.

"The state is not the nation," said citizen Gerarld Mathurin, calling for "a real democracy" in Haiti.

The governor general agreed that "Civil society must play a part in the reconstruction." Otherwise, she warned, "the rebuilding will fail.

"The time for action is now."

The Governor General was slated to walk through the market area of Jacmel later Tuesday - including to the home of her aunt, in which she had spent time as a child.