As one of the candidates for bishop of the Virgin Islands, I read with interest the report of the special convention held in that diocese [TLC, Dec. 3]. There are inaccuracies and misleading statements in that article.

First, the convention did not decide, as the article reported, that a new search committee would be appointed in March; nor has such a decision been made to date by the standing committee. The conventional wisdom (pun intended) is that some or all of the same candidates will be voted on at an election in March.

Regarding the candidates themselves, please be advised that the Very Rev. Thomas Gibbs is not the dean of All Saints' Cathedral. He is the former dean and is currently priest-in-charge of All Saints'.

While the article accurately reports that some persons left before the convention was adjourned, it should be mentioned that those persons had to catch the last flight to St. Croix. By providing no reason for their departure the article creates an impression - especially since the information is coupled with mention of "blank ballots" - that they left in a huff.

Finally, the statement "several times in the past the diocese has been unable to elect a bishop" is not borne out by the facts. The diocese has had three bishops. The first, Cedric Mills, was elected by the House of Bishops. The second, Edward Turner, was duly elected by the diocesan convention. Only in the case of the third bishop did the diocese fail to elect, necessitating the election of E. Don Taylor by the bishops of Province 2.

I regret that in reporting the news of the convention, TLC was both biased and irresponsible.

(The Rev. Canon) Harold T. Lewis

Interim rector, St. Mark's Church

Brooklyn, N.Y.