Bermuda is the first country outside of the Caribbean to host a visit of the two top officials from the West Indies Cricket Board's Development Committee.

And both the chairman and his assistant, Dr. Michael Seepersaud and former Test wicketkeeper Jeffrey Dujon, are hopeful that their presence on the Island will establish a closer working relationship and understanding between the WICB and Bermuda.

Speaking during a break in a meeting with officials from Bermuda Cricket Board of Control yesterday, Dr. Seepersaud emphasised how Bermuda were the first to benefit from the Development Committee's policy in the Americas Region, although other countries had made attempts to establish closer ties and obtain assistance from the WICB just like Bermuda.

"We have had similar requests informally from Belize and the Bahamas to visit them and to talk to them about the development of cricket at the school level, at a competition level and so on, but we have not gone there as yet, probably next year," he said.

"The WICB have a mandate to develop cricket in the Americas Region, so we have to be in a position to assist more than I think we have in the past and we will.

"We will probably collaborate in the area of coaching, in the area of competitions in the senior, under-19 and under-15 levels, in the area of cricket academies and we will invite the Americas to send people to the Caribbean . . . so there are many, many areas we can collaborate on."

Seepersaud suggested that Bermuda's concerns were legitimate and hinted that most would be acted on or at least taken and put forward to the WICB for full consideration when the pair return home.

But since the local talks were just getting underway he was reluctant to give any details of specific concerns that his committee would view with a favourable response.

"We are here at the invitation of the BCBC and we hope to develop an agreement and understanding of how we can corporate the development of cricket in Bermuda, how we can assist them and how they can assist us, what facilities we have that they can use,"' he said.

Of the many suggestions made by the BCBC, one that is certain to be of great interest to local fans, is the idea of having incoming tours by the West Indies Test team and other island teams.

Over the past two decades several Test teams have visited following tours to the Caribbean, but locals fans have only had the opportunity of seeing the West Indies in the Caribbean.

Now that the BCBC have a junior programme organised they are looking at the possibility of entertaining international teams more often in the future.

Seepersaud said Bermuda's location made it difficult when organising tours, but he believed that obstacle could be overcome.

"It certainly does make it seem a little complex in coming here in terms of distance and expense, but that shouldn't prevent us from assisting in the development of Bermuda cricket, and I can tell you it's nice here," he added.

"But essentially we will be taking back to our Board certain recommendations. Following our discussions here I think we will agree where we both would want to go. I think we will have a mutual understanding with your Board."

Seepersaud said he felt that the concerns of the BCBC were justified and legitimate.

"Yes, we have not discussed anything here that is not quite consistent with our way of thinking. I think we are very much along the same lines in terms of developmental cricket, from kiddie right through to seniors, so we have no major problems or differences at all.

"I am very optimistic that after these talks we will be going to develop a good working relationship for developmental cricket, I really mean this,"

Seepersaud said that it wasn't unreasonable for a small country like Bermuda to continue to fight for admittance into major competitions in the Caribbean such as the Red Stripe Bowl and others.

"I think you have to play at the highest level possible like in any sport and anybody playing cricket here should aim to achieve that level. But you have to have the development process, you have to have cricket developing in a gradual way from your kiddie under-10 level to a senior level and once you have that level in place to develop skills, once you have a coaching programme that is relevant and up to date then I think you will develop your cricket."