KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Prime Minister Andrew Holness Wednesday announced that his administration has established a J$25 million (One Jamaica dollar=US$0.008 cents) fund that will help solve the murders that took place in Clarendon, south of here, last Sunday.
At least eight people, including a two-year-old child, were killed and nine others injured when gunmen launched a brutal attack on a birthday party for a 26-year-old man.
Those killed have been identified as 27-year-old cosmetologist Kavel Daley, 50-year-old construction worker Lawrence Francis, 20-year-old cashier Diamond Bennett, and eight-year-old Aiden Bartley, a student of Four Path Primary.
In addition, Errol Stewart, a 58-year-old butcher; Jermaine Boothe alias “Blacks,” Courtney Messam alias “Dummbie,” and a woman identified only as Margaret were also shot and killed. Watch video
Police said that a one-and-a-half-month-old baby was among those injured.
Deputy Police Commissioner Fitz Bailey said that five persons have already been arrested in connection with the murders, including one who turned himself in on Tuesday.
Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, Prime Minister Holness told reporters that the fund will be used to promote an intelligence-rich environment and will be administered by the Ministry of National Security.
“It is focused primarily on this incident. We will provide six million Jamaican dollars for credible information and intelligence leading to the arrest and charge of any suspect involved in the killings, particularly those who were involved in pulling the trigger, and that is to a maximum of one million dollars per person,” Holness said.
He said five million dollars would be provided for information aiding in the investigation, arrest, and charge of facilitators of the crime, with a maximum of J$1.5 million per person.
“We are particularly interested in the facilitators and the organizers. The facilitators, those who provided the weapons or gave access to the weapons and ammunition, access to the motor vehicle, organized the telephone calls, and made the connections, we are particularly interested in those persons.”
In addition, the government said it would give a reward of four million dollars for the provision of information and intelligence leading to the recovery of the firearms used in the killings as well as the network involved in the supply of those firearms.
Holness said that five million dollars would go towards information, resulting in the securing of any form of evidence against the gangs that were involved in the operation.
“We will provide a fund of five million dollars leading to the arrest and charge of anyone harboring the criminal gangs or their associates, a maximum of J$800,000 per person,” Holness said, adding that information could be provided through the legal channels, including Crime Stoppers.
Holness told reporters that the authorities were also gearing up for probable reprisals as he defended the decision to implement a state of public emergency (SOE) in the Clarendon area.
“The brutal killing of eight innocent Jamaicans, which has prompted the government to mobilize all of its resources to respond, is something I make a priority,” Holness said, adding all the security forces have been mobilized in this regard.
He said that the state of emergency results from “our analysis, the intelligence available, and the very high probability. Indeed, I would say that even though the Acting Commissioner of Police Bailey did not say it, there could be actions of retaliation and reprisals.
He reminded reporters that National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang has pointed out that when such incidents occur, “when you take the accumulated murders that are connected to the initial event, you …look at the 10w, 20, and 30s….
‘So we are cautious in ensuring that this incident does not spark a string of additional murders and, therefore, the implementation of the SOE in Clarendon.
‘The SOE is not designed to inconvenience the citizens, and the security forces will strategically use the additional power. I want to assure the public that our security forces, in as much as we are focused on getting the criminals and those who are responsible, we are also focused on protecting the human rights of our citizens,” Holness told reporters.
He said the victims’ rights, in his opinion, “should take priority, but we also have a duty as a civilized country to show to the criminals that we care within the law.”
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