outgoing Anglican Bishop said yesterday he had no regrets over his handling of Church affairs.

But he warned his successor that the next Bishop would have to be a prelate of strong moral fibre and unwavering conviction to succeed in the role.

"I have no regrets,'' the Rt. Rev. William Down said during an interview at his official residence in Pembroke. "There has been controversy from time to time, but that's part of Bermudian life. In a small community, people do express themselves freely -- and that's to be expected.'' Over the course of his time in Bermuda, Bishop Down, who is returning to England on Thursday to become the assistant Bishop of Leicester, had to face down some of his own senior clergy over his decision to appoint the Ven. Ewen Ratteray to the post of Archdeacon last year.

The clergymen -- some of whom will now be vying for the outgoing Bishop's position -- had objected to Bishop Down's alleged high-handedness and failure to consult them in the matter.

Archdeacon Ratteray, another contender for the post, will be fulfilling the Bishop's duties until a successor can be chosen.

"They cannot start the (selection) process until after I have gone,'' Bishop Down told The Royal Gazette yesterday, adding that the person who becomes the next Bishop of Bermuda will have to be "first and foremost a man of God, someone who spends time with God every day''.

"In addition, he will have to be someone who is humble enough to listen and strong enough to lead -- despite the criticism.'' Explaining that the last two elections for the top prelate's post had ended in deadlock, Bishop Down said a newly established system of choosing a Bishop "should make it easier'' for a successor to be decided on locally.

"The hope of everybody, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, is that Bermuda will elect its own Bishop,'' he said. "It is up to the people in the clergy and the Synod to elect the Bishop.'' Asked if it was likely that the new Bishop would be Bermudian -- a source of much contention among some Anglicans who don't feel that there has been enough Bermudianisation in the Church -- Bishop Down replied: "Yes, I think so. I think there is a determination to make the system succeed.'' According to Anglican Church Registrar Mr. Walter Maddocks, the new election procedure, which has to be formally approved by the Synod on November 18 and then sanctioned by the Archbishop of Canterbury, is expected to take effect on November 30, when the Archbishop will issue a mandate for the selection process to begin.

A copy of the mandate, Mr. Maddocks said, will then be forwarded to each of the Synod's members, who will subsequently have 60 days to send their nominations to the Registrar in sealed envelopes.

At the end of 60 days, the envelopes will be returned to Synod members, who will then convene to consider the nominees and vote by secret ballot.

"Nobody can be elected as Bishop unless he gets a majority from the (Synod-forming) House of Laity and House of Clergy,'' Mr. Maddocks said. "The difference (over the old system) is in majority requirements and quorum requirements. We should see a new Bishop by February or very possibly March.'' By that time, however, Bishop Down will have long departed Bermuda, where he felt he leaves a legacy of improved Church finances (each parish is now committed to contributing to a fund for the running of the Diocese), a structurally sound Cathedral (restoration efforts began last year) and most importantly a greater connection to the Anglican Church abroad.

"It's important, because Bermuda is a small island in the middle of the Atlantic, for it to import the expertise, the insights and the culture of other parts of the world,'' he said.

"In particular, the Dioceses of the US and Canada have many resources -- and not just financial -- that Bermuda can benefit from. In that sense, I get particular satisfaction from the links that we have established in both of those countries and in the West Indies.

"Because if you don't (embrace the outside) -- if you are too inward-looking -- you will die.'' Centennial Fund to help restore the Anglican Cathedral. From left, bank chairman Mr. Eldon Trimingham, executive vice president Mr. Louis Mowbray and Cathedral appeal chairman Mr. Kit Astwood.