Anglican community to choose bishop today

If the process runs smoothly, the answer could be known by tonight, after The Elective Assembly of Synod, of the Anglican Church, meets this afternoon from 3 pm at the Church of the Good Shepherd Parish Hall in Tunapuna, for the purpose of the election of a Coadjutor Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Trinidad and Tobago. The Coadjutor or “Bishop In Waiting”, will provide episcopal assistance to Bishop Bess until his retirement, at which time he will succeed as Bishop, without further election or confirmation.

The candidates nominated for the election, which starts at 3 pm with litany and holy eucharist, are 53-year-old Canon Claude Berkley, rector of All Saints Parish, Newtown, and 50-year-old Archdeacon Edwin Primus, rector of St Stephen’s Parish, Princes Town, and Archdeacon (South).

The chosen one will however not be made public tonight as voting and counting of ballots, which starts at 7 pm could possibly run until 9 pm. What is known however is that: “For a person to be declared elected, that person shall have received no less than two thirds of the separate vote of each of the two orders – clergy and lay delegates of the parishes, which comprise the assembly.

Should there not be the required majority, the candidate with the lesser amount of votes will be eliminated, and the voting repeated as there must be a clear two thirds majority of each order, recorded for the remaining candidate. Failing this majority being achieved, the process will start again of new nominations being invited within 21 days of this meeting, after which the assembly will meet again at the end of the 28th day adjournment.

If at the end of a second assembly no candidate receives the required majority, the process to elect a coadjutor is then referred to a selection committee of an equal number of lay persons and clergy selected by the entire elective assembly. While the chairman of the elective assembly is the incumbent, should the election reach the stage of a selection committee, the chairman will be the chancellor of the diocese, Justice Paula Mae Weekes.

Tobago-born Canon Claude Berkley is married and has two adult daughters. He was nominated by Father Richard Jacob (Clerk of Holy Order/Member of the Elective Assembly) and Dianne Piper-Salandy (Laity/Member of the Elective Assembly) His interest in the priesthood started when he was licensed lay minister at St Mary’s Parish in Tobago in 1984. He was ordained deacon on August 4, 1992 at St Andrew Church in Scarborough, Tobago, and on October 28, 1993, was ordained priest at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port-of-Spain. Reverend Berkley served in three parishes in Tobago; in the Diocese of Worcester United Kingdom, was installed Canon of the Cathedral Chapter in 2001; and from September 1, 2002 to the present time has been rector of All Saints.

Canon Berkley holds a teacher’s diploma from the Valsayn Teachers’ College; a BA (Hons) in Theology from the University of the West Indies; a diploma in Pastoral Studies from Codrington College in Barbados; Master of Philosophy in Contextual Theologies from Birmingham University, and last year completed a three-day strategic planning workshop for NGOs at the Community Development Fund Secretariat.

A teacher at the primary and secondary school levels, “Cans” as he was fondly called by his students at Bishop Anstey High School, ended his career as a Teacher III last year, and has this year been appointed chairman of the BAHS board. Among his very long list of achievements are a certificate of participation for four days in judging calypso and in 2008 a certificate of completion in a 40-hour mediation skills workshop His special interests are history, cultural and mission studies.

Trinidad-born Archdeacon Edwin Primus is married and father of two children.

He was nominated by Father Wilson Thomas (Clerk of Holy Order/Member of the Elective Assembly) and Pamela Redhead (Laity/Member of the Elective Assembly). The rector of St Stephen’s Parish was ordained deacon on September 14, 1989, at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity and on November 10, 1990, was ordained priest at the cathedral.

The archdeacon holds a BA in Theology, diploma in Pastoral Studies, diploma in Theology, diploma Christian Stewardship, certificate in Care of the Marginalised in Society, a certificate in Project Management; and has lectured in ministry and training at Codrington College.

He has twice served at St Agnes in St James, at the Windward Parishes in Tobago, and at St Stephen’s from 1994 to the present time.

He was installed as canon/member of the Cathedral Chapter in 2001 and then as Archdeacon (South) in 2005. He has served as Vicar-General Trinidad and Tobago nine times. This very active priest has affiliations to service/professional organisations, such as chaplain of the Cadet Force (ranked captain); chairman of the board of St Stephen’s College; and has gained past/present employment of a non clerical nature with the Ministry of Agriculture, Central Training Unit.

His special interests include sport, music, debating, care of the elderly and advocacy for better working conditions and wellness for clergy.

His special achievements are spread over the parish, community, region, diocese and province.

He has spent his entire life in service of God and his church, as server, Sunday school teacher, vestry member, lay minister, pastoral committee member, and youth group leader.