WIPA: There will be difficulties to overcome
WIPA president and chief executive Dinanath Ramnarine says he will accept the historic appointment to the WICB board of directors "with cautious optimism and confidence.""While in the past, other WICB Presidents have talked about improving relations with WIPA, Dr. Hunte has ‘put his money where his mouth is’, and I feel it is incumbent on me to do my best to make the process work without compromising the principles of business negotiations," Ramnarine said in a statement accepting the appointment as a non-executive director of the board.
"I have accepted the appointment as a non-Executive Director of WICB with both pride and humility – pride because the ongoing efforts and commitment of WIPA have now been formally and publicly recognized, and humility because the future challenges to rebuild West Indies cricket are not for the weak-hearted, and I appreciate the opportunity afforded me to be an integral part of such a rebuilding process," he added.
Before accepting the WICB directorship, Ramnarine said he discussed the issue with the WIPA Executive and was given their full support even though there was a recognition that "there will be difficulties to overcome."
"I also discussed the pros and cons of such an appointment with the new President, Dr. Julian Hunte, and the personal confidence he has placed in me played a large part in my accepting his offer," Ramnarine said.
Ramnarine won't be the first head of a players' association to take a seat on a national cricket board. In South Africa, head of the players' representative organisation Tony Irish also sits on the United Cricket Board of South Africa.