catastrophe on the Island.

The Right Rev. William Down said nearly 200 people had died of AIDS since records started. In addition, a number of people were HIV positive or likely to be.

"It's a worrying situation and it has the potential of being catastrophic in Bermuda,'' he said. "We need to take account of it.'' He acknowledged he had made "controversial'' statements on homosexuality and AIDS. But AIDS was a problem that had to be faced.

Speaking about his job at a Lions lunch in Hamilton, the Bishop said the Anglican church had gone a long way towards Bermudianisation, with five black Bermudians in the clergy, six white Bermudians, two Americans, one Canadian and two from the UK.

He said South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu had called the Anglican Church "God's rainbow church''.

"I think that's lovely,'' Bishop Down said. "We include people of all backgrounds, colours and races. We're a thoroughly integrated church.'' The Bishop, who arrived three years ago, said he was hoping to build and strengthen links with other churches and other countries.

His job is also to get to know people, he said, "which is why I walk as much as I can around the town''. On the job of restoring the Anglican Cathedral, he said more than $3.3 million of the $4 million target set in October 1991 had been raised so far.

Stonework and windows had been repaired, and new gutters and down pipes had been put in to protect the stone.

But the Cathedral organ still needed lots of work, and a sound system was needed. At the moment, he said, "it's like singing into a blanket, and it's not very rewarding''.