WIPA Launches Player Welfare Fund

The West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) has formally established a fund to aid in the education, development and welfare of West Indies cricketers.

The "West Indies Players? Benevolent Fund" has been launched with financial support from First Citizens Bank, Prestige Holdings and Toyota and will be inaugurated with a limited over Charity Shield match on Wednesday evening.

According to WIPA, the fund will benefit West Indies cricketers not only during their cricketing lifespan but throughout their life.

Prospective recipients of this fund will include cricketers who have represented West Indies at Test, West Indies 'A', Under-19 and Under-15 as well as those players who have played in official regional competitions.

A Board of Trustees made up of representatives of the major sponsors, the benefits committee chairman, WIPA, and members of the public will operate, manage and administer the fund.

In the interest of transparency and to elicit the widest participation, WIPA said no one person shall serve on the Board of Trustees for more than three (3) years during his/her lifetime.

"It is our intention that no more than 10% of the total value of the Fund be disbursed in any calendar year until the fund exceeds US$5 million in combined value of contributions and earnings," the association said in a statement.

Wednesday's Charity Shield match will be played under floodlights at Guaracara Park in Trinidad & Tobago and all proceeds will go directly towars the Players' Fund.

Among those slated to play are Daren Ganga, Runako Morton, Rodney Sooklal, Ricardo Powell, Vasbert Drakes, Dave Mohammed, Lennox Cush, Shazam Babwah, Ryan Ramdass, Dinesh Ramdin, Omari Banks, Richard Kelly and Merv Dillon.