The Chief of Defence Staff, Officers, and Ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) extend congratulations to Lieutenant Colonel Keith Watts, MEM, on his successful completion of the International Military Cooperation Course (IMCC) at the Netherlands Defence College, Majoor Jan Linzel Complex, Brasserskade, The Hague.

The IMCC is a highly regarded programme designed to sharpen participants’ understanding of global and regional peace and security challenges, with a particular focus on the role of military cooperation and diplomacy in addressing these complex issues.

Lieutenant Colonel Watts was part of an accomplished cohort of twenty-two (22) military officers and one (1) civilian professional from 22 countries.

This multinational mix provided a rich environment for cross-cultural learning and collaboration, reflecting the global nature of contemporary security challenges.

The course combined online preparatory work with a rigorous one-month residential phase in the Netherlands. The programme covered areas including Peace and Security Challenges, Multilateral Cooperation, International Law and the Law of Armed Conflict, and Military Diplomacy. Participants also conducted several study visits, including to the International Criminal Court (ICC), where they engaged directly with representatives from the Office of the Prosecutor.

Lieutenant Colonel Watts now becomes the second GDF officer in recent times to successfully complete this prestigious programme. His achievement underscores the Force’s commitment to professional development and further strengthens its capacity to engage in international security cooperation at the highest levels.

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Jasmaine Payne, a Guyanese author, editor, and communications specialist, is stepping into uncharted territory with her debut novel LEECH—a psychological thriller that not only breaks genre barriers but also redefines what it means to be a Caribbean writer on the global stage.

Set for release on September 20, 2025, LEECH is already generating buzz as the first psychological thriller penned by a female author based in Guyana. It is a story that takes readers deep into the shadows of obsession, recognition, and the human psyche.

For Payne, the book is more than fiction. It is a piece of her own journey as a writer. Arianne, the central character, carries shades of Payne’s personal frustrations and experiences, as well as the immigrant story of her parents. In weaving these realities into the novel, Payne creates a bridge between her Caribbean roots and a genre often dominated by Western voices.

At the heart of her novel is John Thomas Reginald Leech, a man who, more than a century after his death, awakens in modern-day New York to pursue immortality through a struggling writer, Arianne Smith. But as Arianne transcribes his haunting tale, she quickly learns that telling his story comes at a cost—one that blurs the line between sanity and madness.

“I was inspired by the anti-hero and the thin line of morality one must tread when faced with difficult decisions,” Payne explains. Her fascination with true crime, thrillers, and horror—nurtured by her admiration for Stephen King—found a natural outlet in LEECH. The novel took 11 years to write, evolving across New York, Guyana, and Paris, each place leaving its imprint on the story.

Payne is not new to storytelling. She was first published at just 11 years old after winning the UNICEF Environmental Awareness Poetry Competition in 1999. Since then, she has built an impressive career, with 15 years in journalism and more than 8 years as a professional editor. Her works have appeared in anthologies and publications such as Guyana at 50, 50 Women 50 Years, GEM Magazine, and Lady Magazine. In 2025, she was named an Influential Women Leaders Award recipient and became a finalist in the Page Turner Awards.

While the region’s literary tradition has thrived on poetry, postcolonial narratives, and folklore, Payne is venturing into the darker corners of fiction—territory that is less explored in the Caribbean canon. By doing so, she is carving out space for new voices and new genres, proving that Caribbean literature can be as unsettling, complex, and chilling as any global bestseller.

Her commitment extends beyond her own writing as Payne leads workshops for media professionals and aspiring creatives and mentors young writers across the Caribbean. For her, storytelling is not just a career but a way of giving back—ensuring that the next generation of writers has both a platform and the confidence to tell their stories.

As LEECH prepares for its official release, anticipation is growing not just for the book itself but for what it represents: a milestone in Guyanese and Caribbean literature. Payne’s work challenges readers to ask uncomfortable questions, to sit with unease, and to confront the darker sides of human ambition. It is, as she describes it, a “slow burn” designed to linger long after the last page.

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by Kevin Smith

Guyanese chutney star Terry Gajraj has added yet another accolade to his decades-long career after receiving the prestigious Icon Award at CARIFESTA XV Icon Night, one of the festival’s highest honours.

The award is given to the most outstanding artist from each participating country, recognising those who have made an extraordinary and lasting contribution to Caribbean arts and culture. Gajraj, who was nominated by Director of National Events at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Andrew Tyndell, said he is grateful to have been honoured this year, saying, “This means the world to me.”

“I do travel around the world promoting Guyana and when I do that, all these different countries, they honour me,” Gajraj noted, adding that “It’s even more special and more heartfelt to be honoured by your own country.”

The chutney legend extended thanks to the Ministry of Culture, the Guyanese people, and the CARIFESTA committee for the recognition. He also gave a special shoutout to the Barbadians and the Icon Band, a group of top musicians from Barbados who backed him at the event.

“They did a really magnificent job and they all showed me so much love, and I really appreciate it,” Gajraj said.

The Bajans were said to be shocked by his biography- a career that spans over 30 years of nonstop performance.

For an excited Gajraj, the Icon Award is another proud moment in a career filled with “firsts.”

He was the first Guyanese artist to be honoured in India by the country’s Ministry of Culture. He also thanked Charandass Persaud, Guyana’s then High Commissioner to India, for making that possible. During that trip, he performed in front of dignitaries from Mexico, Thailand, Singapore, and several other countries.

Soon after, he was invited to sing for India’s Independence celebrations, something he describes as a “blessing.”

Back in 2000, Gajraj also became the first Guyanese to perform at the Bollywood Music Awards. On this grand stage, Indian film and music superstar Shah Rukh Khan saw him perform his hit “Saki Boom” and liked it so much that he later performed the song on his own world tour, which included stops in the US, Canada, and Trinidad.

Reflecting on those moments, Gajraj said with gratitude in his voice, “It is so humbling, it is so unbelievable that a poor village barefoot bai from the country got acknowledged and recognised by these big artists.”

Gajraj described his time leading up to CARIFESTA XV when, just last month, he was honoured by New York Mayor Eric Adams at Gracie Mansion. But despite the international recognition, he says awards like the CARIFESTA Icon Award feel different because they come from home.

“All these countries honour me, not for what I do for them,” he explained. “They honour me for promoting Guyana, Guyanese music, Guyanese culture. It is such a blessing to be honoured by CARIFESTA on their 15th anniversary.”

Held from August 22nd to 31st, 2025, CARIFESTA XV brought together some of the Caribbean’s most celebrated artists in a grand showcase of culture, creativity, and connection. The Icon Award is regarded as one of its highest distinctions, and for Gajraj, being honoured at the festival’s 15th anniversary marks yet another unforgettable milestone in his journey.

From a “barefoot bai” in a small Guyanese village to an international chutney sensation, Terry Gajraj’s journey is one built on passion and pride in carrying his country’s culture to the world. CARIFESTA no doubt took note of his dedication and talent and granted this Guyanese the Icon Award.

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Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliot, cast his ballot at the Administrative Building of the Georgetown Prison.

𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐧𝐨 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲—𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬

President of Guyana Dr. Irfaan Ali on a visit to Base Camp Ayangana as voting day for the joint services proceeds

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From the busy streets of the capital city, where a young man once called out for passengers, to lecture halls, Sergeant Troy Anthony Van Rossum has proven that humble beginnings are no match for a determined spirit.

At just 13 years old, little Van Rossum began working as a minibus conductor, a role driven not only by necessity but also by a persistent desire to uplift his family and secure his education.

Using what he earned from that hustle, he financed his secondary education, and in 2011, he successfully attained seven Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate subjects at St. Mary’s High School.

Support came from all directions. With encouragement from those around him, Van Rossum applied to the University of Guyana (UG). While awaiting confirmation, he returned to conducting to save toward his tuition.

During this time, he was supported by Prince Wilson, owner of minibus BMM 1679, a number Troy says he’ll never forget. Wilson not only provided steady employment but also urged Van Rossum to continue his academic pursuits.

In late 2012, he was accepted into the Diploma in Forestry programme, which commenced in January 2013. Transitioning to university life wasn’t easy, and his first exam, in Soil Science, resulted in a disheartening score of 27 per cent.

But he did not walk the path alone. Classmates like Loris Vangenderen, Jermaine Hunte, Devika Singh, Felix Braithwaite, Ronnel Domer, and Terrence Brown rallied around each other with a “no man left behind” mentality. Together, they all graduated with Bachelor of Science degrees.

Van Rossum’s aspiration to serve in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) as a Cadet Officer was cut short due to a medical issue. Undeterred, he set his sights on the Guyana Police Force (GPF), where he successfully enlisted in 2017, the same year he graduated from UG. But his journey didn’t stop there.

In 2022, Van Rossum applied to the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) to pursue a Master’s in Criminology and Social Policy, which he was accepted into at Liverpool John Moores University in the United Kingdom.

This was not just a career move; it was a calling he noted. He felt inspired to become “an officer focusing on the youths and crime,” a guiding presence in the lives of those often left behind.

Through his postgraduate studies, Van Rossum gained deeper insights into the root causes of youth delinquency, peer pressure, unstable home environments, and social neglect. This knowledge now guides his approach to the field: empathy first, solutions second. He has learned to assess when intervention requires social services rather than punishment and strives to build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

Beyond his police work, Sergeant Van Rossum remains deeply involved in youth and community development. In collaboration with the Back Circle Ballers, he organised two of the country’s largest small-goal football tournaments, fully sponsored by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Charles Ramson Jnr., and the Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken.

Additionally, as the second Vice President of the Riddim Squad Football Club, he aims to help transform the club into a hub of opportunity for young people.

One of his early aspirations was a Police Recruitment Drive aimed at opening new employment avenues for young people, which was supported by the president and executive members of the club mentioned above.

Looking ahead to 2026, Van Rossum envisions launching steelpan clubs and expanding football and cricket programmes into every Guyanese community, efforts he believes are vital to crime prevention and social cohesion.

Sergeant Van Rossum credits his achievements to divine guidance and unwavering support from family and mentors. He extends his heartfelt thanks to his parents, foster parents, brothers, and extended family. He also recognises the faithful support of his wife, the GPF, the GOAL Scholarship Board, and great friends.

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