Family offers reward for Astrid’s return

The old adage is that no news is good news, but for the Perera family, each passing day without word from Astrid, only deepens their agony. Perera went missing exactly one month ago today and the family’s efforts to locate the thirty-eight year old business executive are intensifying. An advertisement in today’s Amandala announces a twenty thousand dollar reward for information that would lead the Perera family to Astrid. And the fact that the money will be paid whether she is found alive or dead, only serves to confirm the family’s fears. While they wait and see what the reward may produce, family members say they are disturbed and puzzled by the sudden departure from the country of her ex-husband, Julio Cheng. Not only did Cheng leave Belize late last week for destinations unknown, but he also took his and Astrid’s six-year-old daughter, despite protests from his ex-wife’s family. A close relative of Astrid told News 5 that they also understand that the technology business, U.S. COM, is up for sale, even though as far as they know, the business is a partnership between Cheng and Perera. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Astrid Perera Cheng is asked to call the nearest police station or the family at telephone numbers 823-2579 or 823-2550. The police are still treating the matter as a missing person case.