The Anglican Church of Melanesia yesterday elected a new archbishop.

He is the Rt Rev David Vunagi, who has been Bishop of the Diocese of Temotu for the past eight years.

The election was held at Tetete Ni Kolivuti, headquarters of the Sisters of the Church, east of Honiara.

The former archbishop, Sir Ellison Pogo, retired last December.

Bishop Vunagi will be consecrated as the fifth Archbishop of Melanesia on 31 May in Honiara.

Prior to ordination as a priest, he was a teacher at the government school at KGVI and the Anglican Selwyn College.

Bishop Vunagi is from Samasodu in Isabel Province and was educated at KG VI Secondary School from 1968 to 1973.

He obtained a Diploma of Education in science from the University of the South Pacific in Fiji in 1976, and a Bachelor of Education in biology from the University of Papua New Guinea in 1982.

He was awarded a Bachelor of Theology degree from St John’s College in Auckland in 1990.

From 1996 to 1998, he served as assistant priest at St Anselm’s Parish in New Westminster, British Columbia.

He obtained a Master of Theology from the Vancouver School of Theology in 1998.

On his return he served in the Diocese of Isabel as senior priest in Lawe region.

In 1999 he returned to Selwyn College as principal before becoming Mission Secretary at the provincial headquarters of the church in 2000.

He was elected Bishop of Temotu the same year.

Bishop Vunagi is married to Mary, daughter of late Bishop Sir Dudley Tuti of Isabel.

They have three children: Duddley, Rusila and Douglas.