The Government has committed to putting millions of dollars into the hands of Jamaicans who provide the security forces with cogent intelligence that can help snag those behind Sunday’s slaying of eight Jamaicans at Cherry Tree Lane, Four Paths, Clarendon, and the injury of nine others in what law enforcers say is gang-related.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, making the disclosure during a press briefing at Jamaica House in St Andrew on Wednesday morning, said the commitment was part of the Administration’s strategy to “erode the gangs” by creating an environment where citizens can provide information.

“It is information that is going to destroy the network of the gangs… we have now established a fund of J$25 million in the Ministry of National Security and it is focused primarily on this incident,” Holness told journalists.

Under the arrangement, $6 million has been provided for those who can give “credible information leading to the arrest and charge of any suspect involved, particularly those involved in pulling the trigger; up to a maximum of $1 million per person”.

Five million has been set aside for information aiding in the investigation, arrest and charge of facilitators of the act, up to a maximum of $1.5 million per person.

“We are particularly interested in the facilitators and the organisers,” the prime minister emphasised.

Holness said the authorities will also give a reward for the provision of information and intelligence leading to the recovery of the firearms that were involved, up to a maximum of $500,000 per firearm.

“We will provide $5 million for the supply of information resulting in the securing of evidence against the gangs that were involved, a maximum $250,000 per case. Lastly, we will provide a fund of $5 million for the supply of information leading to the arrest and charge of anyone harbouring criminal gangs and their associates, up to a maximum of $800,000 per case,” he said.

Individuals with details to share are being urged to do so using various tip lines namely: Crime Stop at 311, the Jamaica Constabulary at 119, the National Intelligence Bureau at 811, the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) at 888-6622-847 and the Jamaica Defence Force tip-line at 837-8888.

The Government also announced that a State of Emergency has been declared for the entire parish as the security forces strive to restore calm and flush out the perpetrators.

In the incident, which has been widely denounced, men armed with high-powered rifles aboard a white motor car attacked birthday celebrations being held by a 31-year-old bar owner for her boyfriend, a 23-year-old mechanic from the area, at 8:45 pm. After the shooting ended it was discovered that eight individuals had been killed and nine others injured. Amongst the casualties lay a seven-year-old boy, while a baby of one year and eight months was wounded.

The prime minister, at an emergency press briefing at Jamaica House on Monday morning, after a meeting of the National Security Council, in declaring a “total assault on gangs” across the island, pledged that the “Government will use this opportunity to deal with the gangs once and for all”.