Shooting victims’ mom cry for help as ‘Burga’ remains on the run

Life in protective custody for the children and grandchildren of Ineta Liburd has been more like imprisonment or solitary confinement and she wants to know why the police are not stepping up their efforts to catch her brother, Calvin “Burga” James, who allegedly shot two of her children and her daughter in law a month ago.
Her daughter, Tahisha Thomas died in the emergency room on the day of the incident, while her son Lawrence James was badly injured having been shot in the mouth, but he is recovering well. And, her daughter-in-law, Sanchezca Charles, died on the scene of the shooting on October 5.
It all happened some time after 6 a.m. that day when “Burga” stormed the home and opened fire after he could not find Liburd who was said to have been his real target all along due to an ongoing feud over property passed down by their mother.
Liburd said she is stricken with grief being away from her children and grandchildren; she’s worried about them and she does not feel they are truly safe even though they remain in the protective custody of local law enforcement.
The mother, who was initially in protective custody in Antigua along with her offspring, and who has since left the country, said many people may be of the view that she should not worry because her children “are safe”, but she disagrees.
“They are not safe and I am away from my children … how long are they going to be in that place? They are getting frustrated. Our lives done mash up because my daughter, their sister, is dead by my brother and I want to know if the Commissioner [of Police] or the police force, the Prime Minister Gaston Browne, the governor general, if they want a next death of any one of my children because this man is still out there and they don’t find him as yet. I need my children away from Antigua. I need to be with dem and my grandchildren, I need dem away,” she appealed.
She added, “What about their feelings? They are unhappy, they are uncomfortable because remember we never in this before, locked away like that. Yes they are trying to keep dem safe than to go out there and then he ketch one of dem. But I know my brother and I know he is not going to rest until he gets all of us or even one of dem and time is passing and nobody knows nothing, they don’t see him but he is there around.”
The woman said earlier this week she received a report that the wanted man was seen “around by the jetty in Donovans on the new road where the fisherman and dem come.”
According to her, he was trying to get a boat that belongs to a cousin and she added that this was reported to the police.
Liburd said she would like to see much more effort being made to hunt down her brother who has been on the run since the day of the incident and who she believes is still hiding in Antigua, even as the police have offered a $25,000 reward for information that leads to his arrest.
At the same time, she said, “The day that dem find him, I don’t think no justice or nobody can bring back my child because putting him in prison is tax payers money, my child dead, what’s the sense? In the first place they had no right to let him out on bail…he threatened me and I made many reports to the Grays Farm Police Station and they told me yall are brother and sister yall need to patch things up … until he damaged me.”
In May 2015, after having already filed several complaints against her brother, Liburd and one of her 10 children were allegedly attacked by “Burga”, over a disputed family property issue.
He allegedly tasered her and beat her, while he reportedly chopped the daughter.
He was later charged with wounding with intent and attempted murder, and just days before the October 5 incident, he was called to court for his arraignment ahead of his trial for which a date was to be set. “Burga” as he is popularly known, has been out on bail for some time while his case has been pending.
Francis said she has had enough pain and suffering and would not be at peace until her children and grandchildren are sent out of Antigua and her brother is caught.
“They have not done enough to find him…I just want my children and dem out and I think the commissioner can do better, he can do something about it. Get them out. They have enough police out there and task force. They have the whole of the army, send them out. Send them out because the man is there, he ain’t gone nowhere, send them out. My children and dem life at risk. Everywhere dem go police haffu escort them, police haffu take them we are not accustomed to that,” she lamented.
 Fearful of another tragedy, the woman said residents need to also think about their safety because of the fact that her brother, as described by the police, is armed and dangerous – meaning everyone is at risk.
Her daughter, Tahisha Thomas was laid to rest on Wednesday, while her daughter in law was buried on Saturday October 27.