Bermuda and the other British territories are without their own Minister after Baroness Amos was promoted to become the UK's second-ever black Cabinet Minister.

She replaces Clare Short who angrily resigned as International Development Secretary on Monday after accusing Prime Minister Tony Blair of breaking promises about the United Nation's role in Iraq.

Baroness Amos was appointed in her place half an hour later.

At a Downing Street press briefing on Monday the Prime Minister's spokesman said the post was too important to leave unfilled, particularly with much work needed in dealing with the fall-out of post war Iraq.

The spokesman said Baroness Amos had developed a strong reputation as a junior Minister in a relatively short period of time.

Born in Guyana, Baroness Amos was chief executive officer of Britain's Equal Opportunities Commission from 1989 to 1994.

She was appointed a life peer in 1997, became a whip a year later before landing a junior minister's job in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

As Parliamentary Under-Secretary she had responsibility for Africa, the Commonwealth, the Caribbean and the overseas territories.

There was no word about when she would be replaced yesterday.