THE JAMAICA Defence Force (JDF) will fire a 19-round gun salute tomorrow, at the State Funeral for former late Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Hugh Lawson Shearer.
The 19-round salute is in keeping with the high national office which Mr. Shearer held. He served as Prime Minister from 1967 to 1972.
Major Rocky Meade, explained that the first gun salute would be fired when the funeral procession leaves the Holy Trinity Cathedral for National Heroes Park, where the interment will take place. The funeral service is scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m. at the cathedral.
Thereafter, 18 other rounds will be fired at equal intervals, with the last one occurring at the time the gun carriage with the coffin arrives at the Cenotaph at National Heroes Park. The bearer party will then take the coffin from the gun carriage and march to the graveside.
From the church, the procession will travel west along North Street, north along East Street and into National Heroes Park through the south gate.
Major Meade is urging members of the public not to be alarmed at the sound of the gunfire as this is only a salute to the late Prime Minister.
Gun salutes are customarily observed at State or official funerals and for certain State visits.
In addition, 100 members of the JDF will mount a Guard of Honour in front of the Holy Trinity Cathedral. A 600-man honour guard comprising of the JDF, cadets and other uniformed groups, will line the streets leading to Heroes Park.
See letters section for more tributes.
