‘She gave more than she took’

Jamaica Gleaner | 2025-12-06 | Original Article

An overflowing Community Baptist Church of Englewood, New Jersey, heard glowing tributes paid to Jamaica’s late Consul General to New York, Alsion Roach-Wilson, who died on November 8 after battling breast cancer.

 

Among those reflecting on Roach-Wilson’s life were Jamaica’s Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness and Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade; Jeremiah Hyacinth, consul general of St Lucia and chairman of the Caribbean Community consular corps; business leaders from New York’s financial sector as well as New York politicians including Congresswoman Yvette Clarke.

 

During the thanksgiving service for her life, Roach-Wilson’s family, headed by her husband, Omar Wilson, was presented with the insignia of the Order of Distinction (Commander Class) which she was unable to accept at this year’s National Honours and Awards ceremony at King’s House in St Andrew, Jamaica, due to her illness. She received membership in the order for her contribution to national development in education, technology, and healthcare capacity building. She was previously awarded membership in the Order of Distinction (Officer Class) in 2019 for her philanthropic work.

 

In his tribute to the late consul general, Holness described her as a dedicated public servant who set the standard for public servants and public officers.

 

“She gave more than she took. She, through her work as consul general, galvanised the community and she bore burden well,” he told the overflowing congregation.

 

Holness recalled that when he first met Roach-Wilson, he mispronounced her name, something she did not take kindly to.

 

The prime minister said the late consul general was assertive, strong and undertook all tasks with a keen understanding of what was needed to accomplish each task.

 

He said she was not content merely to occupy the office of consul general but to transform it and reimagine the role.

 

“She became a beloved figure in the diaspora. A dependable servant of the people who excelled in moments of crisis,” he said.

 

The prime minister recalled that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the late consul general started what was known as ‘CG on the Beat’, providing food and other supplies to members of the Jamaican community who were unable to access services because of the shutdown.

 

“When the travel restrictions to Jamaica were lifted, she ensured than many Jamaicans who were stranded in the United States were able to get back to Jamaica. She used her vast network in the service of her fellow Jamaicans,” he said.

 

The prime minister noted that, due to her humble beginnings, she had a natural dedication to the service of children in Jamaica.

 

“She provided thousands of laptops and tablets to Jamaican schoolchildren to assist their learning once the pandemic was lifted,” he said.

 

The prime minister also noted that the late consul general sacrificed to be in the position that she held.

 

“She worked to serve and made sure that Jamaicans in the diaspora were accommodated during the pandemic.”

 

Noting that Roach-Wilson excelled in the art of networking, Holness told the gathering that she did not use her contacts in service of self but, instead, to benefit those people who were in need, even non-Jamaicans.

 

The prime minister further described her as “a very smart lady” who knew how to make a deal.

 

“She loved the children of Jamaica and was always seeking to help them. This is borne out in the many scholarships that she offered students out of the proceeds of the Jamaican Independence Gala,” he said.Roach-Wilson is survived by her husband and children Brian, Vanessa, and Patrick.

 

editorial@gleanerjm.com

 

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