MAJOR Basil Jarrett, a communications specialist, has returned to the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) as a reserve — a move that should help the army shore up its external communication.

In fact, he is returning at a time when the army is facing scrutiny from the public over its handling of the communications surrounding last Friday’s shooting death of Private Ejay Domville in Denham Town, Kingston.

In 2009 Jarrett began to serve as civil military cooperation and media affairs officer in the JDF up until 2021 when he retired.

“I want to help to establish a very open, transparent, and honest relationship with the media and the public,” Jarrett told the Jamaica Observer on Thursday.

Private Domville, according to the police, was shot dead around 1:25 am while he and other members of a military foot patrol team pursued gunmen in the vicinity of Charles Street and Chestnut Lane. The police said that the men fired at the soldiers, forcing them to take evasive action and return fire.

At the end of the shooting, Domville was found with a gunshot wound to the face. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. Despite members of the military coming out publicly to explain what happened, residents, including relatives of Domville, believe that a cover-up may be at play and that the young soldier was killed in a friendly fire. Although the police continue to investigate the matter, they maintain that Domville was murdered by a gunman in the west Kingston community.

Despite swirling speculation that Domville could have been shot by one of his colleagues, the Independent Commission of Investigations said on Wednesday that it is treating the matter as a case of murder and that they have no interest at this time in investigating it as they only probe cases in which citizens are killed or injured by the security forces.

The JDF said on Wednesday that it is investigating the matter to get to the bottom of it and determine what exactly happened. An autopsy was scheduled to be done on the body of Domville on Wednesday.

According to Jarrett, who is currently the director of communications at the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA), his role in the JDF will include supporting the communications machinery as well as helping to train young communications personnel.

“It is important to note that my return to the JDF is through the Jamaica National Reserves. What that means is that, outside of my substantive post as director of communications at MOCA, I will serve the JDF on evenings and weekends through the reserves. The reserves are what people typically call the weekend warriors.

“Since I left in 2021 the communications landscape has changed rapidly and I believe that I can help to bolster the force’s communications machinery at a time when the challenges are so great, and that is what I am looking forward to. I will help to keep track of the rapid changes taking place in the communications space,” Jarrett said.

According to him, he will be helping to draft and guide the JDF communications policies and activities, plan media relations and media management and conduct.

There will be a lot of training and development for the people who are managing communications roles at the JDF, he said. “I will also engage with the chief of defence staff from time to time to help give her guidance and advice, as required,” Jarrett told the Observer.