Bermuda could soon get its first black female Governor with British Ministers Baroness Amos and Baroness Scotland both in the frame.

The Royal Gazette understands Sir John Vereker is likely to leave next year and talks have already taken place on breaking the mould of hiring relatively unknown white men to instead recruiting somebody known to Bermuda.

Sir John would not be drawn, saying: ?I never comment on the length of my appointment.?

But former Premier Alex Scott said: ?I obviously don?t know his timetable but when I was in office as Premier there had been a suggestion that he might be leaving sometime in the new year.?

And The Royal Gazette understands there have been explicit discussions with Government House about recruiting either Baroness Amos or Baroness Scotland ? highflying ministers in Tony Blair?s Labour Government.

The source said the pair had been suggested by former Premier Alex Scott and may even have been put forward by his predecessor Jennifer Smith.

The source said: ?From what I understand serious consideration was given to both from the UK end. It?s been discussed both here within Government and within the UK.?

Last night Baroness Scotland refused to comment while Baroness Amos could not be reached. A Foreign and Commonwealth spokesperson was also unable to assist.

Baroness Valerie Amos was born in Guyana and appointed to the House of Lords in 1997. In 2001 she became ?Bermuda?s Minister? when she was made Overseas Territories Minister.

A year later she visited Bermuda and thanked the Island for its help in taking planes diverted in the aftermath of 9/11.

However she was later given a stinging rebuke by PLP backbencher Arthur Hodgson for not accepting that Britain should be responsible for the baselands clean-up.

Baroness Amos got further acquainted with Bermuda?s political system, which she praised for its sophistication, when she oversaw the move to single MP seats in 2003.

The same year she became the UK?s second-ever black Cabinet Minister when she became International Development Secretary before becoming Leader of the House of Lords and President of the Council in October 2003.

Meanwhile Baroness Patricia Scotland QC is Minister of State for the criminal justice system and offender management and also had direct dealings with Bermuda as a junior Minister in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office where she received an Opposition delegation in 2001 calling for a constitutional conference on the move to single seats.

The Royal Gazette contacted Mr. Scott and asked him about the prospect of a black female Governor.

He said: ?It would certainly be something I would be sympathetic to.?

He said there was a need to shift from the usual choice of diplomats and politicians and pick individuals the community knew and could identify with.

?We should not just think in terms of male. This is a time for a fresh approach to the office of the Governor of Bermuda.?

But he said Bermuda was unlikely to get a local Governor until it went independent.

Asked about his successor Ewart Brown?s attempt to alternate weekly meetings with the Governor between the Premier?s office and Government House he said: ?I would have thought that it was a non-starter.?

However the appointment of a black female could help take some of the tension out of the relationship between Government House and the pro-independence Progressive Labour Party which Dr. Brown spoke of when he made his bid to change meeting arrangements.

The Royal Gazette understands it is the practice of the UK Government to consult with the territories before appointing a Governor but the ultimate decision lies with the British Prime Minister of the day.

Through Bermuda?s history, the choices for governor have usually been former military men, but in the last several decades the choices have leaned towards former politicians, diplomats and recently, distinguished civil servants.

Most normally serve six years or less while Sir John Vereker arrived in early 2002.

However with a Bermuda general election likely within the next few months Britain might be tempted to keep Sir John Vereker in place to sort out any constitutional issues in the event of stalemate with both parties getting the same number of seats.