Referees and officials from the Caribbean are helping to combat a lack of match officials on the island by taking charge of a number of matches in the Premier and First Division.

The Bermuda Football Association have shipped in four officials, who have been hired on a short-term basis and more are expected to follow until the number of local referees becomes sustainable.

In Bermuda at the moment are Jamaicans O’Jay Duhaney, O’Shane Nation and Damian Williams along with Trinidadian Kwinsi Williams. All four of them took charge of the Premier Division match between X-Roads and champions Dandy Town at Lord’s in St David’s on Sunday.

Crenstant Williams, the BFA Referees Committee chairman, told The Royal Gazette that the present batch of officials are most welcome.

“We were short of match officials, and because I have relations with certain officials who are Fifa listed from the Caribbean, I asked them if they ar willing to come and they are here. They have a work permit and are here until Thursday.

“They are not the first to come, the other two guys came in December last year and we have other people possible. It’s going to be a continual thing because we need referees, so that’s what we are doing.

“We are just waiting on people to confirm their availability so then we will know from there.”

Referee assistant Duhaney is no stranger to the island having served in the same role during Bermuda’s 1-0 win over Guyana in an international friendly at the Flora Duffy Stadium in 2019.

The Jamaican said he and his fellow colleagues have found the transition to officiating club football in Bermuda an easy one.

“It’s a pretty normal experience,” Duhaney said. “The level of the game is not as difficult as internationally or back home, so it’s really a good game for us in our off season. Our season actually starts next weekend so this is a good opportunity to get good experience.”

It was announced at the BFA congress this month that the lack of match officials on island has reached a critical stage with disciplinary issues by players cited as one of the key reasons why youngsters are not choosing to pick up their whistle.