John Baker, the English Football Association's chief instructor of referees, is in Bermuda in a bid to improve the standard of officiating.

Baker (62), who lives in Leicester, England, has a wealth of experience in refereeing, having been associated with the sport for the past 44 years.

He is also here in continuation of the Bermuda Football Association's referee exchange programme.

Last November, top English referee, Ray Olivier, conducted a similar course for local officials. He also officiated the 2001/02 Martonmere Cup Final between North Village and eventual winners Devonshire Cougars at Lord's last autumn.

The week-long course began last Sunday at Stonington Beach campus, where Baker unveiled a course for referee's assessors which was attended by several of the Island's former top officials.

The course concludes this Sunday at the same venue.

"Basically when a referee is performing it's good to have someone on the sidelines advising on things that he might do better," explained Baker.

"Particularly in positioning and movement to get a clearer view of what's going on - anything in terms of communication skills that need improving.

"It's generally to make referees better."

Twelve of the Island's referees were scheduled to be put through their paces last evening at the Stonington Campus.

"My involvement in the English FA has been largely as an instructor and I was once a principal staff referee instructor before I became head of refereeing," Baker added.

"My purpose here is to actually work with Gregory Grimes (Chairman of Referee's Committee) and Aldwin Savery (BFA First-Vice-President) to present an assessors course which we did on Sunday. Then last evening (Tuesday) we did a course for coaches and referees on communication skills and body language and from tonight (Wednesday) all the way through to Sunday we have a referee's course for officials from all levels to examine their refereeing practices and try to improve them."

The BFA's Grimes said Bermuda "should be proud and honoured to have a man of John Baker's calibre" on the Island to lead such a course.

"I had the privilege of hearing him last year in England when I attended the Referee Instructor's Course and then again this year in Trinidad and Tobago, and both times I came away with a renewed energy to get stuck in to my instructing side of things.

"So I think that all referees that do attend will come away with that same spirit and that will stand us in good stead for the upcoming season."