New Bishop of Guyana finally appointed, paving the way for new primate: CEN 9.04.09 p 6.

First published in The Church of England Newspaper. The West Indian House of Bishops has appointed the Archdeacon of the Northern Bahamas as Bishop of Guyana, a move that permits the election of a new primate for the province. On Aug 30 the Rt Rev Errol Brooks, Bishop of the Northeast Caribbean and Aruba and the senior bishop of the province announced that at their Aug 25-27 meeting, the House of Bishops had appointed the Ven Cornell Moss to succeed the Rt Rev Randolph George. Archdeacon Moss will be consecrated on Dec 8 at St George’s Cathedral in Georgetown, Guyana, and on the following day the Provincial synod will meet at the cathedral to elect a successor to Archbishop Drexel Gomez, who retired last year.

A native of the Bahamas, Archdeacon Moss (50) was educated at St James College in Nassau, and trained for the ministry at Codrington College, Barbados, and earned an STM degree from Nashotah House in 1997. Ordained in 1983, he served parishes in Abaco from 1986 to 1992, and in 1993 was appointed rector of the Church of the Ascension, in Freeport, Grand Bahama. In 1996 Archbishop Drexel Gomez appointed Fr Moss Archdeacon of the Northern Bahamas.

On Feb 12 delegates to a special meeting of the Guyana synod held in Queenstown were unable to elect a bishop to succeed Bishop George, who retired in December after 29 years as bishop. The failed Guyana election has also postponed the selection of a new archbishop for the province as the canons require a full House of Bishops to select the new primate.

The Rt Rev Santosh Marray, a Guyanese native who served as Bishop of the Seychelles from 2005 to 2008 won two-thirds of the clergy vote, while the rector of St Philips, Georgetown, the Rev Andy Carto, won two-thirds of the lay vote. A two-thirds majority was required in both houses for election, and after rounds of balloting the vote was cancelled due to the deadlock.

In February, diocesan chancellor Desiree Bernard wrote to the House of Bishops asking that they appoint a bishop, a course open to the diocese under the provincial canons in the event of a failed election.