Tuesday February 9th, 2010
- Last update:14 hours 42 min ago
Nearly one year since Denise Barcant went missing...
Vanished without a trace
Published: 12 Sep 2009
It is happening too often. People, especially women and children, are disappearing without a trace, and no one knows what has happened to them. In a small place like Trinidad and Tobago, where “macoing” is a form of recreation, people have vanished and no one knows a thing.
Take, for instance, the case of Denise Barcant, 46, a resident of St Ann’s. She left home in her car and never returned. No Denise, no car, in a small place like T&T. Something has to be radically wrong. Were these people sold as part of the international human trafficking fiasco, or were they killed? No one in the Police Service can shed light on this. Was this a case of Denise being killed and her body buried? Someone must know. A source said a convicted man in prison wants to tell the police where a number of bodies were buried, but he wants a favourable response from the State concerning a reduced sentence. The convict is making people believe that he has that kind of information and can work a deal with the State. Have the authorities gone after this man and his information? Only time will tell. Denise was not the only person to disappear without a trace.
The most celebrated of them is the case of Juliet Tam. A schoolteacher by profession, Tam disappeared without a trace while jogging in 1985 and has not been seen again. She went jogging in Arima and just disappeared. Although there were calls that she was spotted and that she was seen in England, Tam remained missing. There is the case of Vijay Persad, ten, who disappeared in front of his family’s home in New Grant five years ago and he, too, was not found. To make matters more mysterious, a fire wiped out his family last year. What about Minerva Gaskin, 67, recently as last month. She left home to go to the Licensing Department, Port-of-Spain, and never returned. She was seen at the Licensing Department, but what happened after she left? Crime Stoppers has found it so important, that the organisation is now offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to her whereabouts.
Today, we focus on Denise Barcant. Denise, the first-born child of Anne Barcant, vanished without a trace on October 24, 2008. The circumstances surrounding her disappearance remain a mystery.
Anne told the media sometime ago: “If you have a sore inside you and the ointment isn’t there to heal it, it remains a sore, and every time you talk about it or somebody brings it up, it's still a sore. You know it’s not healing and you can’t heal yet.” She added: “I rely on God’s word and I live on that, so any time I tend to want to go off on a tangent I get back into God’s word and I believe he is taking care of her and I trust him. I have to trust him always, it doesn’t mean you don’t feel to cry sometimes, you still miss her, but God never makes mistakes.” Anne and Denise lived together at St Ann’s. They were also both regular parishioners at the St Finbar’s Roman Catholic Church, Diego Martin. According to investigators, Denise’s disappearance was a great mystery to them. Denise made lunch, and dressed in home clothes, she drove out of the driveway in her aqua-blue Toyota Yaris, PBT 9228. No one knew where Denise was headed that day. She never returned.
During their search, the Barcant family went around the country, hoping that Denise would be found. They even hired planes to conduct an air search, in the event Denise could have gone over a cliff.
The family got a number of calls. They had to decide which calls were genuine and which were not. Anne Barcant, in particular, has not given up the search although 11 months have gone by. She told the media: “My life is...I call it waiting, waiting on an answer, waiting on some sign, waiting on something. I don’t want to close my mind to anything you know, because I would say ‘Okay Lord, if she is with you in heaven and is happy just let me know that she is happy,’ and I will be happy, if she is still here, where is she? She can't just be living with a family, and I don't really want to even think that she would have been taken as a human trafficker.” Anne operates daily as though Denise is still around. Denise Barcant is of light complexion, five feet, eight inches tall, 115 pounds and has brown, greying hair of shoulder length. She was last seen wearing a shirt, short pants and blue slippers. She had been depressed for years, relatives added. Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Denise Barcant, or her vehicle, can report it to the police, or call Crime Stoppers at 800- TIPS.
Vanish Without a
Vanish Without a Trace:-
Francis Joseph, Unsolved Mysteries, thank you for presenting these articles from time to time, as they awaken the reality of what is going on in this country, good, bad or ugly.
With the constant rage of crime being committed on us, we have become somewhat complacent, and go about our business settling into the knowledge that there appears to be very little or nothing of substance we can do.
We rely upon our Protective Services, our experts in their field, to assist us, but they too seem unable to get a handle on crime.
Our gov't, the people we pay to conduct the business of running our country has let us down miserably. For years they have denied to all, even perhaps the wind and rain, that crime was racing out of control. The most unconscientionable incident of all, was when Mr. Manning flew Mr. Knowlton Gift off to London, U.K. where he appeared on the BBC and announced to the world that crime was not a problem in T&T, but rather the 'Opposition making michief' - (2002?). Had this gov't done their job from day one, perhaps we may have been able to control the increase in crime and protect our people. We have since seen a number of high-price initiatives, but none appears to be productive - blimp, radar, coast guards, Bobbies from U.K., consultants from off-shore lands, and promises galore.
I ask, if crime was not a problem, then why was it necessary for our Mr. Manning to recruit a 79 Private Security Detail to guard his person; and why could our Protective Services not continue with this function?
Every aspect of crime in this country, whether it be with drugs, guns, violence, robbery of possessions and in particular vehicles, etc, affects every one of us in one way or another. With the greed for extortion/kidnapping money and stolen vehicles, our loved ones have become collateral damage.
There have been much whispers about human trafficking in the Americas, and we even got 'honourable' mention in the U.S. gov't documents. We cannot discount these claims. With the increase in pornography and pedophilia - films and photographs, even our young children are not immuned. Every one of you who participate in this deviant behaviour in any way in this 'cesspit' are guilty of a crime bigger than yourselves.
Are our people who disappear, with no one claiming to have seen 'nothing' victims of human trafficking or did they meet untimely death? We would like to think that some of our loved ones are out there somewhere, and hold dear that hope that they would be found alive, soon, very soon.
The recent case in the southern U.S. where an 11-year old girl was grabbed on her way to school, some 18 years ago, and was found in the possession of her kidnappers alive and somewhat 'healthy' should give some of us hope that maybe our dear one could be a case such as this, as slim as the chance might be. While there is life there is hope, and we would be out of place to tell a grieving family member to give up the chance of ever seeing their loved one again.
The number of 'sex slaves' on our soil tells a vicious story. Some of these women are from other countries, but many are ours. They are allowed to operate illegally in plain sight, which makes us believe that perhaps those in authority play an integral part in its operation, and are 'keeping their heads above water'. Some may scream 'thats not so', and to this I ask, then why are they operating illegally and being given a 'clean bill of health' as legitimate businesses; why are they not raided, more often, and shut down, or even the operators sent to prison, etc. We only read of the women being arrested, charged, imprisoned and deported, but never the operators. If we have no places for these 'sex slave' to ply their trade, they would not be brought in under the cover of darkness, or even via legal entry ports - where some claim they 'bribe' the officials, to enter.
According to the writer, why is it that in a country famous for "macoing" - minding other people's business, no one seems to 'see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil'. If you sneeze your neighbour knows right there and then if you got a cold, or someone with the cold visited you, no matter the time of day.
So how is it that calls are not made to the Police with valuable information. Some claim to be afraid of the police, who may be part of crooked team. But then we have the privacy/anonymity of calling Crime Stoppers to assist with any information we may have. If we do not assist today, tomorrow one of us, a friend or family member stand the chance of becoming another statistic added to the list. So please speak up now! We do have freedom and free speech. You may be able to help an innocent person.
Yes she has definitely been
Yes she has definitely been sighted in England and her family have been in England as well repeatedly
One has to look into that, an insurance policy was collected after the 7 or so years
I definitely believe she is alive and well and her family knows
and the other missing
and the other missing people, you saw them in england too?
I am Juliet Tam's younger
I am Juliet Tam's younger sister and I am moved to reply to this comment by 'latoyaneves' as I find it irresponsible to make such comments without supporting facts.
Firstly, if you have any information concerning my sister's wherabouts I would appreciate if you would report it to the authorities and secondly I pray that you nor anyone else has to experience what my family has had to endure for the last 24 years.
To clarify your comments - yes my family has been to England because both of my younger sisters studied in England. One on a national scholarship and the other on an UK bursary. One completed her studies and the other did not as both returned home to Trinidad soon after my mother's death. Both my parents visited England during my sisters' studies. A a matter of fact all of my family members have visited England at one time or another either on vacation or for business and continue to do so. This does not mean that it was because Juliet was or is in England.
As for the insurance policy that you claimed the family received proceeds from, please check with Algico the insurance company to verify your facts. I am in reciept of a letter from them indicating that the policy had lapsed for non payment of premiums and as such they had no further liability. According to the Insurance Act there is a seven year waiting peroid but premiums have to be paid during the period to keep the policy in force in order for a claim for presumption of death after the seven years to be valid. My family was not aware of this and as such the policy was not kept in force.I would appreciate if you would check your facts.
We all still looking for Juliet, through electronic searches , when we travel and I pray for revelation of what happend to her everyday. We never stop searching or thinking of her. If we knew where she was why would we hold back such information. When Juliet disappeared I was studying in Canada and when I returned home everyone thought she had come back. Everytime someone sees a person at home who had been away studying they said Juliet was back - we all resemble and I understand how people could come to such conclusions, but if Juliet was found believe me the world would know about it as it is not something we would want to keep quiet.
So if you have concrete information of where Juliet is, please share it with us as nothing would make us happier! I am shaking as I write as this in not an issue that we as a family take lightly and it brings back memories of a time we wish did not happen.
I pray for the families affected by such unfathomable situations because I know that what they are going through cannot be explained or fully understood, but time does allow you to move on with your life knowing that a piece of the puzzle is still missing and may be missing for a long time. The pain dulls but never goes away...
mtam
Dear, I truly hope that no
Dear, I truly hope that no matter how long it takes, you will get closer on this. I cannot begin to conceive what you and your family have been through these past years. MY thoughts and prayers are with you.
Sometimes people make statements without the thought of the implications, I truly do not understand the gain of that.
dear mtam, I don't know what
dear mtam,
I don't know what heartache you and your family feels over the loss of Juliet, but I feel very sad for you all because you just don't know what's happened. That must be the most horrible feeling.
The person that said she was in England, etc...... well, that's just someone that isn't important in real life and feels they have to make a name, even if it's just on here.
I wrote many times on these threads that ppl should watch what they say about subjects, about the victims, and about the victims' family because you don't know when someone close to them will be on here. I haven't been on in awhile because some ppl can be pretty cruel on here, and they think they have the right to judge or cause friction just because no one can see them in person.
Thankyou so much for taking the time to comment, and my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
London ontario.
M Tam.. It is truly
M Tam..
It is truly unfortunate when some insensitive humans make their hurtful statements for all to read as though they are proven facts.
I was in convent when Sis Tam was there..and remembered clearly the time when your sister disappeared. I can only hope your family finds closure to this open wound. It is truly traumatizing.
My blessings are with you and your family.
ps.. I hope you dont take on this idiots ramblings