The British Government yesterday announced the appointment of a new Governor for Bermuda.

Sir John Vereker, 56, (pictured) who is currently Permanent Secretary for the Department of International Development in the British Government, will take over from Governor Thorold Masefield in February 2002.

Premier Jennifer Smith said of the appointment: "I think he will be a refreshing change.

"Sir John's experience with the World Bank will prove this to be an important appointment for Bermuda at this time."

Mr. Masefield, 62, is retiring after more than four years in the post to spend more time with his family.

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The post of Governor is mainly a ceremonial role although the Governor does have reserve powers for defence, internal security and foreign affairs.

Mr. Vereker joined the UK's Ministry of Overseas Development in 1967 and then worked for the World Bank between 1970 and 1972 before returning to the UK's civil service.

He advised three Labour party ministers in the 1970s and then worked in then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's Policy Unit between 1980 and 1983, advising her on the domestic labour market and privatisation.

He was then promoted to Under Secretary for Asia in the then Overseas Development Administration before becoming Under Secretary for Development Policy and Principal Financial Officer.

In 1988 he joined the education department and had responsibility for higher education and science.

He helped establish the national loans scheme in which students borrowed money from Government to fund their studies.

But Mr. Vereker kept up his interest in overseas matters. He is a board member of the British Council, the Voluntary Service Overseas and the British Executive Service Overseas.

A Government statement said there would be a series of ceremonial events to mark the transfer of power.

Independence advocate Walton Brown said a local governor should have been appointed.

He said: "The British Government talks about new partnerships but it keeps replicating the old colonial patterns rather than moving to self government as it is required to do under the United Nations charter."

Mr. Brown said a new governor would waste time getting acquainted with the Island but a local appointee would bring local knowledge and prove Bermudians could run their own affairs.

He said: "Any inside knowledge he has with the World Bank could be got from other quarters."