A local entrepreneur has moved to help parents and others connect with babysitters, nannies, tutors and house sitters through the new web site www.sitters.bm.

Keith DeSilva and a silent partner launched the web site this year after recognising that many people were desperate to connect with those who were willing to take care of children, houses and pets.

While Mr. DeSilva and his teacher wife have family support here as well as access to to her teenaged students it was obvious their expatriate friends lacked the same support.

?They don?t have that family connection on the Island and a lot of people always go to my wife, who is a school teacher, and say do you know any kids who can babysit?

?She has students always asking to babysit our kids so, I said maybe we should do something online where people can sign up because there is going to be more than just the handful of friends I have who don?t have the family support on the Island,? said Mr. DeSilva.

A subscription to sitter.bm costs $19.95 per month. Mr. De Silva, who is a senior technical support analyst and help list manager at ACE and is also part-owner of the online classified business www.sell.bm, said that in this case his goal is not to make a profit but only to help defray web hosting fees for the site.

Those who subscribe get full access to the sitter database which has a breakdown of the number of sitters registered by selected parish.

Members can specify whether they are seeking a nanny, day care service, house sitter, or pet sitter service and also have the ability to provide reviews on those people whose services they have used.

The site also includes guidance on how to find a sitter as well as other useful items such as a house sitter agreement form. In the future, the site will also include an area to allow users to interact and exchange information with one another.

Sitter.bm does not, however, vet the sitters who register online as Mr. De Silva wants the site to run by itself.

Sitters are supposed to provide references as well as a list of experience, qualifications and contact information.

?I try to stay out of that,? said Mr. De Silva. ?Here are the details if you want to call them, call them. Here are there references. If they haven?t provided references maybe you shouldn?t call them.?

There are currently more than 50 sitters ranging in age between 16-32 registered with the site with the majority of those interested in babysitting. Mr. De Silva said that for young people and those looking for extra income, the site is a great way to spread the word that they are ready and willing to work.

?It allows sitters to access other people and expand their horizons,? Mr. De Silva said.

?It is a meeting place where people can say look I want to babysit.?