Georgetown, Guyana�The West Indies Cricket Board and the West Indies Players Association announces the formation of the West Indies Retired Players Foundation (WIRPF). The joint initiative between the governing body and the players association will be primarily responsible for ensuring the skills and services of retired West Indies cricketers are utilized in a structured manner for the benefit of the regional game.
At its last Board meeting, the WICB Board approved the membership of the WIRPF.
Mr. Brian George (President and CEO of Supreme Ventures Ltd of Jamaica) has been appointed Chairman. The WICB appointed members are Delano Franklyn (attorney-at-law in Jamaica) and Dr. Nigel Camacho. The West Indies Players Association appointed members are former West Indies and Jamaica player and WIPA President Wavell Hinds and Nixon McLean, former Windward Islands and West Indies player and WIPA treasurer.
President of the WICB, Mr. Whycliffe 'Dave' Cameron commented: "This joint initiative with WIPA, to establish the West Indies Retired Players Foundation, is one which is long overdue and one which I am personally delighted that we have been able to achieve within a short space of time after I assumed the presidency."
"The skills and services of our retired players have not been utilized in a manner befitting their stature and the situation needed to be improved. I want to thank the President of WIPA, Mr. Wavell Hinds and the CEO Mr. Michael Hall for their work in ensuring that we have been able to achieve the formation of this most historic and necessary foundation which must remain a vibrant pillar in West Indies Cricket," Cameron added.
"Our former players have international reputations for success and achievement and we must now, in a formal and structured way, undertake the necessary work to utilize their expertise to help to improve and redevelop West Indies Cricket," Cameron outlined.
"We thank Mr. George for agreeing to chair the foundation and all the members for giving of their time and expertise in ensuring that it executes its most important mandate in West Indies cricket," Cameron added.
WIPA President Wavell Hinds commented: "Creating a Retired Players Foundation to see to the well-being of former cricketers is an idea whose time has come. Michael (Hall) and I, along with the other members of WIPA's new executive are very excited about its formation � not just because it will bring direct benefit to those who have served the game and the region, but also because it represents another collaborative effort between our two organizations."
Further details relating to the work foundation and initiatives which it will undertake will be announced as these are finalized.
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