KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) – West Indies Players Association (WIPA) president Wavell Hinds has identified education as a key aspect of the players union’s plans, and says negotiations are under way with several regional institutions to facilitate this.

He was speaking on Thursday after WIPA opened its first satellite office at Sabina Park here in the country’s capital.
Hinds, a former Test player, said the new development was part of an overall thrust aimed at ensuring WIPA’s members were prepared for life outside of cricket.
“We are here to grow the product to ensure that our members have different places to access information and the support that they need to grow as individuals,” Hinds said.
“We also have engaged ourselves in partnership with the University of the West Indies, University of Technology, GC Foster College, Mico University and Quality Academics in Memorandums of Understanding so that our members can benefit and matriculate to the highest level possible.”
Hinds told officials present that WIPA officials were in discussions with UWI St Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago and the UWI Cave Hill Campus in Barbados, with view of making more educational opportunities available to its members.
West Indies Cricket Board president Dave Cameron said he was pleased with the development, noting that it was important that players focused on life outside of cricket.
And with the move to make educational opportunities available to players, Cameron said WIPA was fulfilling its mandate in its partnership with the WICB.
“My job is to grow that top line as much as possible. Our partner is to ensure that the players deliver on and off the field,” Cameron said.
“One of the things that we have instructed WIPA is to ensure that for all our players who play for the West Indies, plans are made with them on what they are going to be when they grow up.”
WIPA, the regional players union, is headquartered in Trinidad and Tobago.