The Rev. Andrew Doughty -- who is serving as vicar of the Chilworth and North Baddesley parishes in the Diocese of Winchester in England -- will take up his new post in May.

He will succeed the Ven. Thomas Dyson, Archdeacon Emeritus, who retired in January, but has been looking after the parish.

"We are very much looking forward to his coming and hope he has a happy ministry in Bermuda,'' Archdeacon Ewen Ratteray said of Mr. Doughty's appointment.

Mr. Doughty and his wife, Rosemarie, have three children. He was last in Bermuda during the Christmas holidays visiting his family.

His appointment comes in the midst of a row in the Anglican Church over the hiring of Bermudian priests.

A dissident group, Concerned Anglicans, have questioned the extension of the work permits of two non-Bermudian priests when they say there are three unemployed Bermudian priests.

However, in a letter to the Editor yesterday, the Anglican Bishop of Bermuda, the Rt. Rev. William Down denied there were three qualified Bermudian priests who were unemployed.

"There is currently one Bermudian priest who is unemployed, and one who is employed on a part-time basis,'' he said.

"Both of them assist in local Anglican churches on a paid basis when requested.'' The Anglicans have also criticised the way in which Bishop Down appointed Archdeacon Ratteray and have now hired an expert on Church Constitutional law to determine whether Bishop Down is "above the law''.