KINGSTON, Jamaica —  Leader of the Opposition Peter Phillips is questioning what he calls the strong presence of political authority in matters concerning the zones of special operations (ZOSO).

Phillips, speaking at a press conference in Hanover yesterday, argued that the security forces should be the ones taking the lead in giving information in relation to ZOSO.

“We don’t want people to suspect the motives in the selection of any area, when the political authorities are upfront in defending the selection of any area, it kind of weakens the resolve of all citizens to support it,” Phillips declared.

Phillips said that residents in the selected areas of Mount Salem — the community first declared a zone of special operations — say the information used in the selection process is flawed.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Andrew Holness, at a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) West in St James yesterday, announced two major rewards programmes for the arrest of wanted men and the recovery of illegal guns and ammunition following a tour of Mount Salem.

Holness said that reward for information leading to the recovery of rifles/submachine guns will be $150,000; semi-automatic pistols and shotguns $100,000; revolvers $75,000; while the reward for explosives and ammunition are negotiable.