Permanent Secretary - Ambassador Alison Stone Roofe

With more than thirty (30) years experience in the public sector, Ambassador Alison Stone Roofe joined the Ministry of National Security as Permanent Secretary on May 1, 2023. She has a wealth of expertise in managing teams and multi-stakeholder relationships, building strategic partnerships, and cultivating global alliances.

Ambassador Stone Roofe has held several key positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, where she played a vital role in establishing relationships with partners both domestically and abroad. She has served as Ambassador and Head of Mission to the Embassy of Jamaica in Brazil, Director of the Caribbean and Americas Department, Under-Secretary for Bilateral, Regional and Hemispheric Affairs, Under Secretary for Multilateral Affairs and Acting Chief Technical Director of the Foreign Ministry. Her appointment in 2021, as Permanent Representative of Jamaica to the International Seabed Authority is also a testament to her capabilities and the confidence placed in her leadership.

Ambassador Stone Roofe received a Commonwealth Scholarship to the University of Oxford (1993 – 1997) where she gained  an M.Phil. in International Relations. She has also obtained a   Master of Science  Degree in Social Sciences (with Distinction), and a Bachelor of Science degree in International Relations (First Class Honours) from the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. In 1988 she received the Sir Laurence Lindo Prize for the best student in International Relations.

She has been recognized for her outstanding contributions in the field of international relations, public administration and diplomacy. In 2008 she was selected for the US International Visitor Leadership Programme and awarded the Order of the Rio Branco by the Brazilian Government in 2019.

The Permanent Secretary previously served on the Boards of the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation, the Maritime Authority of Jamaica and the CARICOM Inter-Governmental Task Force on the review of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

Her education, training and vast experience both locally and overseas have equipped her with an understanding of the complex issues facing Jamaica's national security.