Part of the deal when Police Commissioner Colin Coxall was appointed was for him to identify Bermudians to take over the two top jobs in the force, Home Affairs Minister Quinton Edness insisted yesterday.

And Mr. Edness said: "It's important that the public know that an integral and strategic part of the Government's agreement with Comissioner Coxall was that he produce a plan which would assess, select and, if necessary, train our senior Police officers to take over the roles of Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of our Police service.'' Mr. Edness hit back after Mr. Coxall was quoted as saying that his employment contract did not specify he had to be succeeded by a Bermudian.

Mr. Coxall was speaking after former Home Affairs Minster Irving Pearman accused him of failing to live up to the terms of his contract by not identifying Bermudian highflyers.

Mr. Edness admitted that the contract did not stipulate identifying Bermudians for the top jobs -- but added that Mr. Coxall had been left in no doubt that it was a vital part of his job in Bermuda.

Mr. Edness said: "It was discussed at the time when Mr. Coxall took the job and with Her Majesty's Inspector of Dependent Territories Police Lionel Grundy, with the previous Governor Lord Waddington and on a good number of occasions, with myself.

"This was not written in anyone's contract, but this was discussed as an essential thing which had to be done and it was quite clearly understood by everyone.

"It was not in his contract, it wasn't written, but it was fully discussed.

There were a number of things which weren't written, for example the civilianisation of the service, but they were certainly discussed and it was understood they had to be done.'' Mr. Edness said, to date, no plan had been produced, although it had been envisaged that one would have been produced in "the early stages'' of Mr.

Coxall's three-year contract.

And he added: "Needless to say, both Government and the senior officers in the Bermuda Police -- and indeed the Governor -- are very disappointed over this delay.'' But he said Mr. Coxall would produce a plan before he quits the Commissioner's job at the end of October -- five months before his contract was due to end.

Mr. Edness said: "A succession plan will be developed by Mr. Coxall over the next several weeks and it will be in Government's hands before his departure from Bermuda.

"It is also important that the plan contain a proper, independent method of assessing our senior officers for the purposes of determining whether they should be selected to lead the service at this time.

"And this should be done prior to selecting a Commissioner from overseas.'' Mr. Edness stressed Mr. Coxall had done "an outstanding job'' and implemented many new initiatives. He added that more than 50 percent of Mr. Coxall's service strategy had been implemented, although there was "much still to do''.