Officers from the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) met with their British military counterparts in the United Kingdom (U.K.) last week to discuss plans to have a JDF contingent come to the U.K. in July and August 2007 to assist the army in its public duties and ceremonial guard mounts.

The intention is for the JDF contingent to be in the U.K. from the middle of July to the end of August and to perform guard duties at Buckingham Palace, St. James Palace, Windsor Castle and the Tower of London.

The JDF last sent a contingent to the U.K. to engage in ceremonial duties in the summer of 1998.

According to Contingent Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Derek Robinson, the difference this year is that the group would also include members of the Jamaica Regiment Band and the Jamaica Military Band, who will perform at a number of concerts and Jamaican events throughout the summer.

The delegation, which consisted of Lieutenant Colonel Robinson, Captain Derrick Depass, Lieutenant Commander Leighton Bennett and Major Roy Wade, the Jamaica Defence Force's Director of Music, also visited the Jamaican High Commission in London to brief High Commissioner Burchell Whiteman on the arrangements.