News
October 7, 2016
Two families anxious for word on missing sons

A woman whose son has been missing for close to nine months said this week that she is depressed and very worried that she still has no solid information about where he is.

“I haven’t heard anything; I’m depressed, I’m worried. I have called the police on numerous occasions,” said Meril Antoine by telephone from Canada on Wednesday.{{more}}

The Tuesday, September 2 edition of SEARCHLIGHT reported that Antoine had not heard from her son, Garnet Thomas, since February 14 this year, after she helped him with a legal matter.

Antoine noted back then, that her son, who is 24 and a father of four, had not been seen by any of his other family members for the past eight months.

On Wednesday, the distraught woman said that the missing man is weighing heavily on her mind and calls to the local constabulary have gone unanswered. She said that the police promised to make a call to the prison in Guadeloupe, as someone had told her that he was arrested in that country, but to her knowledge, nothing has been done.

“To me it seems like the police [are] not doing anything. It could not take three months to find out if he is there (Guadeloupe). Is like nobody cares and is like he is not a Vincentian. He is not a saint, but he is not a criminal and he does not have a criminal record in St Vincent or anywhere,” said Antoine.

She said that she was told by a young woman that her son was locked up in Antigua, but when she called Antigua, no one with that name was found. Antoine said that she even sent a friend to visit the prison in Antigua and her son was not there.

Antoine said that the same young woman also told her that her son had called four times and spoken to her (the young woman).

“I deserve to know what is happening; the police should question her, because she saying he called her and she can’t say where he called from. One time she gave a number that wasn’t a real number and one time she saying Antigua, then she saying Guadeloupe,” declared Antoine.

She revealed that prior to her son going missing, they would speak every week.

“There is not a day I don’t shed tears and wonder where he is and what he doing and if he is alive. A lot of crazy things are happening in SVG. I need closure and not knowing is killing me,” said Antoine, her voice breaking.

Garnet is the second Vincentian man reported missing in recent weeks. Also unaccounted for is dancer Kahili Tupac Ollivierre, alias “QQ,” who was last seen at 4:47 p.m. on August 4, 2016 at Dougan’s Shop in Calliaqua.

Ollivierre, who is a resident of Golden Vale/Calliaqua, is a 23-year-old male of dark complexion with an afro hairstyle and brown eyes. He is 5ft 8 inches tall and weighs about 140 lbs.

Persons with any information or who may have seen Ollivierre or Thomas are asked to call telephone number 451-2467, 456-2906, 456-1810 or 458-4200.

Calls would be treated confidentially.