MONTEGO BAY, St James – As part of its strategy to recruit new members, the music battalion of the Jamaica Combined Cadet Force (JCCF) is seeking to strengthen its core by establishing a band in western Jamaica.

“What we are doing is that we are trying to establish another cadet band in western Jamaica. We see the need for this, because of, course of, what is happening in the country, the students are at risk, so we are trying to put in an intervention for those students to take them off the road and give them something positive to look forward to,” Lieutenant Colonel Alvin Reid told the Jamaica Observer West, while he and members of the band were in Montego Bay last Saturday.

He stressed that if the JCCF gets the support, the group “would seriously” consider establishing a band for the western end of the island.

On Saturday, the band members showcased their skills in the resort city as they performed for the public.

The hope is that potential members between the ages of 12 and 16 will have seen what was going on and become interested in becoming part of the organisation, said Lieutenant Colonel Reid.

He was optimistic that the JCCF will obtain applicants from western Jamaica, as he expressed hope that the ability to get certified within the programme will persuade the youngsters to join.

“The students are exposed to life skills such as first aid, they are also exposed to, of course, music and the critical part of the music is that their certification is equivalent to CXCs,” said the lieutenant colonel.

The teaching, he added, is free of cost, pointing out that the JCCF has qualified instructors ready to deliver.

“We teach them free of cost, the only thing they have to do is actually pay for the exam. The cadet force provides the instruments and we provide the training and we have adequate instructors equipped to teach these youngsters,” he added.