The interview process for the next Chief Justice will begin next month before a panel led by the Governor, Sir John Vereker.

Three applicants will be going through the interview process for the position next month after six Bermudians and overseas applicants applied for the job, Deputy Governor Nick Carter told The Royal Gazette.

Chief Justice Austin Ward, who is 67 and nearing the cut-off age of 70, has informed Government that he would like to retire at the end of his current term.

Mr. Carter said since the procedure for choosing a new Chief Justice is so important Governor Vereker would chair the interview panel personally.

Although the Governor was required to seek the opinion of the Premier and the Secretary of State of the UK, Mr. Carter said he does not have to accept the Premier's view.

But the search for a new Director of Public Prosecutions has not been as successful and Mr. Carter said a new strategy must now be carried out to meet top personnel needs after the recent pool of applicants for the job did not meet Government's criteria.

Although there was a possibility Government House would re-advertise for the position Mr. Carter said they would also work with contacts in Bermuda and overseas to find more appropriate applicants.

"It's a chore to have to go through the process again, but the applicants didn't match our expectations and we weren't able to recommend anyone to the Governor," Mr. Carter said.

"We'll have to use another approach and send out our feelers through contacts and possibly re-advertise, but we won't just use that bow in our quiver."

Mr. Carter said applicants from Australia, Britain, Canada, parts of the Caribbean and Bermuda had applied for the job but, he said, they did not have the "depth of experience" that the position requires.

Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Kulandra Ratneser was asked to stay on for another six months until a permanent replacement could be found.

Mr. Ratneser has held the short-term position as acting DPP since March while Government House continued the searched for a long-term replacement.

"We've got the next six months to look at how to best carry out finding acceptable recommendations and come up with a strategy to trawl for applicants," Mr. Carter said.