The rows used to be quite regular but we were under the impression that Bishops Christopher Luxmoore and Bill Down had both worked very hard to smooth out the working of the Church in Bermuda.

In recent years, the progress toward total Bermudianisation has been quite remarkable. The three Canons who are complaining about the naming of Father Ewen Ratteray as the new Archdeacon are all Bermudians and two of them are rectors of parishes. The third is the Canon Residentiary at the Anglican Cathedral. Fr. Ratteray is, of course, also Bermudian. One thing we can be thankful for is that in this row we are spared complaints about non-Bermudians taking jobs away from Bermudians.

What is clear is that Bishop Down was perfectly entitled to appoint an Archdeacon for the Anglican Church in Bermuda on his own and without consultation. According to the principles of the Anglican Church, the appointment rests with the Bishop and there is no requirement for him to consult. It may be that it would have been politic for the Bishop to consult the three Canons in his church but he was not required to do so. In any case, it might have been very difficult for him to consult the three Canons in question.

The Canons have asked what criteria the Bishop used in arriving at his decision. We can only think that he simply looked at finding what he considered, and the choice was his, the best person for the job. It must have been in Fr. Ratteray's favour that he has been in charge of Pembroke, the largest of Bermuda's parishes.

We can only think that Bishop Down did not consult the Canons because he was aware that all three wanted the job. It is, of course, often both difficult and unwise to discuss the choice for a job with people who are candidates for it. The conversation would go like this: "Who do you think should be Archdeacon?'' "Me!'' "Me!'' "Me!'' It may be that the Bishop took a hard look at the three Canons and decided that they cancelled one another out. Therefore he looked elsewhere in the Bermudian clergy.

Canon Thomas Nisbett is reportedly 68 years old and has to retire in a few years. Canon James Francis is an extremely busy man who makes all sorts of contributions to Bermuda, especially by chairing the Human Rights Commission.

Canon Arnold Hollis is one of the most controversial men in the Anglican Church of Bermuda.

Probably Bishop Down wanted a younger Archdeacon without any baggage. Perhaps he wanted a man who had not made it clear that he was after the job.