The Island's Justices of the Peace were called in for a brush-up on election practice last week - but Parliamentary Registrar Sabrina Phillips denied it was sparked by election fever.

She said the session to bring new JPs up to date and refresh established JPs had been planned since last autumn.

She said: "I don't have any indication of when the next election will be held."

Under the Bermuda constitution the next election must be called within five years off the last one - meaning it must be called by November next year.

She said about 160 of Bermuda's JPs attended the session. There are nearly 400 on the island but only about half are active, said Ms Phillips - around 100 new ones were sworn in last year. Past practice had been to have talks on the duties of being a returning officer on the eve of the election.

She said: "They have never had the opportunity for formal training. We gave them an overview of JPs' work and training as a returning officer."

Ms. Phillips said the session went well but some JPs were shocked about some of their residual powers which had never been removed from the statute book.

She said: "They still have the powers to arrest people for treason. It's just a very old law."