Guyanese deacon Mike James has been appointed General Secretary to the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC).

Mr James, a former assistant editor of the Catholic Standard and Associate General Secretary of the Caribbean Conference of Churches, has been living in Mexico but returned to Guyana for a year to work as coordinator of donor assistance for the 2006 general elections. He is still a regular contributor to the Catholic Standard.

In his new job he will be responsible for organising meetings of the Caribbean bishops, implementing decisions of the Bishops’ Conference, initiating study projects and facilitating programmes of the different Commissions of the AEC, as well as, press liaison on statements issued by the Bishops.

The English, French and Dutch territories of the Caribbean, with the exception of Haiti, constitute the geographical area entrusted to the pastoral care of the Bishops of the AEC.

The Catholic Church within these territories comprises nineteen dioceses and two independent missions. Politically, within the area there are 13 independent nations of CARICOM, three departments of France, two parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands having complete internal autonomy, and six British colonies.

In addition, one United States Dependency enjoys observer status.
(Catholic Standard)