Scholarship announced in memory of Roach-Wilson

A scholarship fund honouring the legacy, education and love of Jamaica is to be established in the name of the late Consul General in New York, Roach-Wilson.

Details of the fund have not yet been announced, but The Gleaner understands that monies raised will benefit Above Rocks Primary School, which Roach-Wilson attended, as well as a tertiary institution in Jamaica.

The announcement came last Friday during a service of thanksgiving for her life at Community Baptist Church in Englewood, New Jersey. It was noted that Roach-Wilson was proudly rooted in her rural upbringing in Redwood, St Catherine, where she learned discipline, resilience and purpose. She credited education as the path that opened doors and allowed her to rise from humble beginnings to serve Jamaica with distinction.

The scholarship will carry forward the values she lived by, supporting students in Jamaica, particularly from rural communities, who are striving to pursue education and build a better future.

Tributes came from Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, former member of parliament Lisa Hanna, and staff of the New York Consulate.

Johnson Smith described Roach-Wilson as “a special person with limitless goal setting ability.” She added: “She was always in pursuit of excellence. She brought to the position (of CG) a wealth of knowledge and the ability to transform the consulate.”

Johnson Smith said Roach-Wilson promoted investments, improved services to the diaspora, and even used AI to enhance the consulate’s work. “She was always thinking about the next generation and was driven to improve service and to serve her homeland,” she said.

Hanna said Roach-Wilson’s legacy would be remembered for generations. “Under her leadership, the consulate became more than a governmental institution, it became a home for Jamaicans in the diaspora, a place where every person felt seen, heard and valued,” she said. “She inspired excellence. Nurtured talent and created an environment where compassion and efficiency walked hand in hand.”

Officer-in-Charge Ariel Bowen remembered Roach-Wilson as a colleague and friend. “She was the go-to colleague who had a solution for every insurmountable problem. She gave and gave, yet asked for nothing in return. Losing her in the physical is only made easier knowing that she is now soaring with the angels,” Bowen said.

Community Relations Officer Christopher Benjamin recalled Roach-Wilson often referring to him as her “right hand.” He said: “Her confidence in me has helped shape my professional journey over the past seven years, and her love shaped my loyalty to her. That void will never be filled, but her lessons and her legacy will continue to guide.”

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