Man missing 26 days in Antigua: Hope alive for Thomas's return

THROUGH tears and anguish, Candy Jageshar made a heartfelt appeal to mothers across Trinidad and Tobago to love and cherish their children, especially their sons, as she marked 26 painful days without hearing from her 21-year-old son, Thomas Vasquez.

“To all mothers, grandmothers, mothers-to-be, guardians, and women – Happy Mother’s Day,” she said. “Hug your children, especially your sons. Love them. Kiss them, no matter what.”

Speaking to Newsday on Mother's Day, May 11, just before heading to church, Jageshar urged parents to forgive their children and encouraged mothers to offer grace as their sons navigate life’s challenges.

“Today, I don’t have my child to hold. I miss him very, very much. I just want all mothers to be considerate. Our boys sometimes do things we aren’t aware of, but at the end of the day, they are still our children,” she said.

Pausing frequently to compose herself, she spoke through tears, describing the day as one that would be filled with sons visiting their mothers and creating precious memories. She expressed hope before the day ended, she would hear from her son.

“I’m not giving up on him. Today has been very, very hard for me. Normally, wherever he is, he would call on Mother’s Day. I am still hopeful to hear his voice – there are a few hours left in the day,” she said around 4 pm.

Jageshar spent the day with her two daughters, listening to music, although each song served as a painful reminder of her missing son.

“Every time a song plays, I’m reminded that a piece of me is missing, and I can’t stop the tears from falling,” she said. “Right now, I’m dressed – we’re going to church. I’ll be praying for him.”

She shared her intention to visit Antigua soon, though she did not say when, expressing her gratitude to the team at Radio Observer, the Antiguan opposition United Progressive Party (UPP), its leader Jamale Pringle, and the group Concerned Citizens of Antigua (specifically activist Mary John who was instrumental in leading the search), all of whom she said are supporting her efforts to travel to the island.

She also responded to scathing remarks made by Antiguan Prime Minister Gaston Browne in a Facebook post on May 10.

“It was very upsetting to hear him say such things about Thomas,” she said.

“He claimed Thomas went missing from Antigua and had been trafficking drugs. If the government and police knew this, why didn’t they set up a sting operation and arrest him? As the prime minister, he should have taken action to stop Thomas if that's the case.”

Speaking softly, she called on Browne to share any relevant information with authorities in Trinidad and Tobago, if he hasn’t already.

“If he can boldly say something like that, then he probably knows where Thomas is.”

Browne’s remarks came in response to a Newsday editorial titled Antigua Anguish, published on May 7. The article made brief mention of TT’s new Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs, Sean Sobers, saying only he instructed civil servants to seek vital updates on Vasquez’s disappearance.

Despite this, Browne publicly rebuked Sobers, claiming he had “no moral authority” to criticise Antigua and urged him to focus on rising crime in TT. While he expressed hope Vasquez was safe, he insisted there was no evidence he went missing in Antigua.

Browne also alleged Vasquez had a history of suspicious travel, previously entering Antigua by plane and allegedly leaving clandestinely by boat, transporting marijuana from an illegal farm where he was employed.

On May 11, Newsday attempted to contact Prime Minister Browne for clarification, but calls went unanswered, and a WhatsApp message was subsequently sent requesting further explanation.

Questions were posed about what exactly Browne considered interference, what evidence he had to support claims of Vasquez’s alleged criminal activity and clandestine travel.

He was asked if information had been shared with Trinidadian authorities and what steps, if any, Antiguan officials had taken to verify Vasquez’s last known whereabouts.

Browne was also asked to elaborate on his reference to “deracinated opposition elements” allegedly collaborating with a foreigner to malign Antigua and whether he believed his comments about Vasquez were sensitively framed in light of Jageshar's ongoing pain and unanswered questions.

The prime minister has not yet responded.

According to reports, Vasquez visited Trinidad on April 6, departed on April 14, and was last seen on April 15.