interest in a new Chief Financial and Operations Officer post.

Fred Ming, who was made redundant last month after five years, yesterday told The Royal Gazette he was looking forward to a "bigger and more demanding challenge''.

Appointed in August, 1992 as a part of an effort to increase the overall efficiency of the College, Dr. Ming was also responsible for the development of research capabilities, for human resources and fund raising, and served on the College's admissions committee.

But last month, in an unexpected move, the College's board of governors decided to make the posts of vice president of development and Controller redundant.

The responsibilities for the posts have been redesigned and reassigned to College president George Cook and the new position of Chief Financial and Operations Officer which has yet to be filled.

When contacted yesterday Dr. Ming said he had no interest in filling the post.

But he also made it clear that he harboured no bitter feelings about the college's decision.

"As I look back on the contributions which I made in my previous position at the college, I feel pretty good because I think they helped advance the institution in a positive way and made it a more socially aware and socially responsible and conscious institution,'' Dr. Ming said. He noted that under his guidance the College initiated several projects that involved the community.

"One project, which was eventually handed over to the Ministry of Education, was to connect all the libraries of all of the schools in Bermuda electronically,'' he pointed out. "It was so compelling that it has now been taken up by the Ministry of Education with their full funding.

"That kind of outreach and integration of the college into the community was what I really enjoyed.'' Dr. Ming admitted that he would have liked to have seen a Bermuda College Foundation come into being.

"I think that will eventually happen,'' he said. "It will be an important step forward for the college in many ways. It will require that the institution reach a new level of maturity in the way it functions and relates to the community in building its resources.'' Without going into too much detail, Dr. Ming added: "I believe that will happen.

"Within the framework of the position which I was originally given -- which included building institutional resources as well as advancing the institution through its relationships to the community, and its promotion, and its information services department and physical plant operations being brought up to a more professional standard than what I found -- I believe all of those things have been achieved. And I'm pleased that I was able to be a part of that.'' But Dr. Ming said it was time for him to move on.

"The fact that the college has recognised that I have more or less carried out those responsibilities which I was given, in five years, tells me that I'm now ready for a bigger and more demanding challenge,'' he said.

"When I look at that position of Chief of Financial Operations it does not meet that criteria for me. In the meantime, as I look for a job I'm keeping myself busy.'' As chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Bermuda, Dr.

Ming has been preparing for the Baha'is 50th anniversary in Bermuda.

"That will coincide with the publication of a book and other things and events by the Baha'is community,'' he noted. "At the same time, in the spring of 1998, the delegates from the local community will go to Haifa, Israel for the election of the Universal House of Justice. That is something that takes place every five years. We'll be joining delegates from about 175 other countries.'' While pointing out that he was not solely responsible for organising the upcoming events, Dr. Ming said: "We have a local elected council that deals with these things. But because there's so much work I've been able to lend a little more time than normally.''