 Yeah, cricket West Indies and the West Indies Players Association, signing a memorandum of understanding here on the sports mic zone within the last 45 minutes and the MOU to run from the 30th or May 1 of October 2023 to the 30th of September 2027. We've already heard from the contingent from Cricket West Indies, we'll now hear from the contingent from the West Indies Players Association led by the president, Wever Hines, and alongside him, the honorary secretary, Wayne Lewis, gentlemen, it's a pleasure to have you on the sports mic zone. Wever, I listened to your presentation earlier, quite meticulous, and one of the things I noticed you mentioned was the fact that you consulted a number of players in this process. Why do you feel it was so important for you to make that point? Well, it is called the West Indies Players Association, so it's owned and run by the players. Of course, they've hired a management team, and of course, there's a board of directors. So it's always good to be inclusive and to make sure that they are integral in decision-making process. And while we are occupying the directorship, we think it is very important because they are the practitioners. They are on the ground. They are moving around. They sometimes have a lot more experience as to the day-to-day activities being that they are traveling around the world. As I said, the landscape has changed. So the calendar year remains at 12 months, but there are multiple competitions around the world. We see where we are playing test rigidity in Australia, and I want to say all the best to the West Indies team in Australia. They are certainly representing themselves well, given what they have, and how far they are at the developmental curve. There are a lot of T20 competitions going on in South Africa and Dubai all of us, and we have West Indians who are participating in that. So we are mindful of those things, so we want to get their input as to what is the best fit for the MOU so that they can participate in West Indies cricket, as well as going to earn their living outside of West Indies. So from your standpoint, you would be surprised if players following the signing of this MOU came out as detractors in any way? Well, I would stand here after 22 years and say that I would be surprised. I have a line to you. What I would say, though, is that we have gone to a rigorous system where we do focus groups. We started from the AGM in Antigua last year in 2023, and we did focus groups. We have a player advisory committee that is led by our director, Shakira Selman, and we have contacted white ball captain Robyn Paul, who is a member, and, of course, Haley Matizou, the women's captain, and congratulations to her as well. She has just been named cricket of the year. Haley Matizou, T20 international cricket of the year. Very well done to her. So we have made those sort of consultations because we are very mindful that we don't have all the knowledge. I am starting from a point where I used to play and serve on the association. So I have that first knowledge. I am no longer there. So I am very mindful of the inputs and the intern nuances of a person who is playing. So I'm not surprised. In negotiations, you won't get everything you want. Some members were very adamant about some things and some are not. So it's about getting that balance and allowing the process to go forward. But we continue the discussions. Not because we have signed the MOU doesn't mean discussions are not continuing. So we continue to have those discussions. Yeah, when the MOU started the 1st of October 2023 will end in 2027, are there any retroactive payments or any retroactive aspects of this MOU? Are you already operating on the terms of this MOU? Clear that up for us. No, they retracted the October 1. So whatever happens between then and now, it goes back to that. That's about it really. So are you therefore already operating under this agreement? Or were you operating under this agreement since October 1 last year? No, we were operating under all agreement. With the understanding that October 1, then whatever adjustments are made, it will take effect then. So there will be some retroactive payment for normal players. Yeah, you spoke about the fact that the landscape has changed. And in part of this MOU, you speak to the NOCs. And that players who are contracted to Cricket West Indies, and you can correct me if I haven't interpreted it correctly, but that players who are contracted to Cricket West Indies and who might be given NOCs to play franchise cricket, that at the points when they have been given permission to play franchise cricket, that stage would not be paid under their CWI agreement. Can you explain that for us? Well, it is what we call double-dipping, if you understand it. So if you are allowed to go and earn or participate in another earning opportunity, then it is natural terms in terms of industrial relations that you forego your salary at your original place of employment, pick up your salary where you are earning, and then when you return, you will start working on that. So I think it's a natural practice globally, and I'm sure the players will understand. Let me get into some details then. So let us say I have a white ball contract with Cricket West Indies, and a red ball series is happening, which I am not a part of, and I get an NOC to go and play in a franchise league. Does it still apply in a situation like that? Well, once you are not available to serve within West Indies cricket, so I don't want to tie to tournaments or games or matches, but once you are not available, because even though you are a white ball player, and you are not a red ball player and there is a red ball series going on, your employers may want you to go and play a white ball tournament in Guyana as a local tournament. So it is about your availability to honour what you would have signed, to say is your contract, and to be available to serve under the terms and conditions of the West Indies retainer contract. You also mentioned six female players contracted at the regional level. Can you explain the significance of that, and explain exactly what that means in further detail? What it means is that during the Covid period, Cricket West Indies made some significant steps in jumping through whoops and getting women cricketers assembled in Antigua for training camps on a month-by-month basis, and we found that to be very difficult because we are using the same players every day who have served tremendously well, the Stephanie Taylor, the Ailey Mathews, the Andrew Dutton who is no longer there. And we thought that the developmental process and the bedrock of our cricket was not being serviced properly. I think there is also another two steps below that. Under 19 girls in the Caribbean should be given some attention, which is outside of our purview because they are not eligible to be unionized. And then at the school level across the Caribbean, which is I think maybe cricket West Indies and the governments, the governments can take up at Carecom, so because we don't have those sort of programs and systems going, we think that we should try and retain women cricketers and give them an opportunity to develop because most of our ladies are learning their trade in the international circle. They will go on the international arena and that's where they are learning. Like we have the test team in Australia. I'm a couple of the guys making their debuts and some guys have five first-class game. And I know that feel because I had to learn on the job and be under the microscope and the scrutiny of the Caribbean cricket lovers and they are not letting up. They have no mercy. And just to be clear, these six women are different from those that are contracted at the senior elite level. Yes, so they are different. They are contracted at the regional level and then you still have your international senior women cricketers who are going to be contracted and of course be playing their trade. So it is always good to bring them in when you have an element of still playing as Stefanie Taylor who is in the dressing room and they can transfer that knowledge, that vast amount of experience and share what the scenarios are and you can't pay for experience. So if we have those younger cricketers coming through, we should at least give them an opportunity to be a professional cricketer and allow them to develop in a very structured and systematic way. We're fast running out of time. May I just one quick? Multi-year contracts, retainer contracts, that is covered in this MOU which I find quite instructive based on utterances that we've heard in recent months about the possibility of franchise leagues retaining players over two or three years and now you're suggesting cricket West Indies may be doing that as well. Well, that is one side of it. People may believe that you're trying to to secure the players before the franchise is externally would have gone ahead and done that. But in the international labour organization ILO, they're that thing called Decent Work where you need to give your workers job protection and job security and tenure. And it is a good way to do some of the benefits of that is that your workers, which are our cricketers, can access the social benefits. So for Jamaica where the National Housing Trust you could go and apply for a market because you have a three-year contract that shows that you're gainfully employed. But for this period of time, you can go and get your health cards for your family. You couldn't go and get different things, car loans and just access. So you have security and the players can all sit and train and not worry about being appraised and losing a contract and then knowing that they're going to have a job tomorrow. So it is on that back and on that basis that would have gone for a multi-year contract that does not stop the player from performing and keeping that contract because if you're not meeting the standards and not meeting the targets, those contracts can be terminated. Wayne, I'm stealing 20 seconds. From your standpoint, this MOU, how pleased are you with the final product? I'm pretty pleased. Thanks for asking that. I'm pretty pleased. It has been a grueling discussion. I mean, you know, coming here represented a smiling face, but trust me, two words that I could say that I would appreciate out of all negotiations would be mutually respected on both sides because we had some terrible time stuff. I mean, we argue a lot. I mean, voices. We have a bold, some bouncers. Yes, and he's not a very quick guy, but he bold some quick bouncers during that negotiations. But at the same time, there was good mutual respect between both parties and at the end. I'm pretty satisfied. And, you know, we talk about bringing in some players in the negotiations to give them an idea as to what goes on there in the scenes where we negotiate on their behalf, fight for them, so they have a better understanding as to what we represent. So it was fantastic. You're not a track and field man when you're really a cricket man and a test man as well. You don't understand 20 seconds. Can I make a recommendation? Sure. As a union man representing people, I think the staff should be afforded some overtime pay for being in the studio so long. The people behind the camera. On that note, let's take a break. On the sports bike sword, wave the lines. Maybe overstepping his boundary just a little bit. We'll be back.