The budget had been set at TTF$35 million (£4 million/$5 million/€4.9million) for the Games organised under the aegis of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee,(TTOC), which is also the Commonwealth Games Association for the islands.

"I don’t want it to look like me as a Minister, or my Ministry, is entertaining a cost overrun that was not approved by the Cabinet, I would not do that," Cudjoe told Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

"TTOC has not requested more money.

Cudjoe refuted claims that the cost of staging the Games had escalated to TTF$44 million (£6.4 million/$6.5 million/€6.1million)

The end of the financial year on September 30 had made it difficult for all paperwork to be processed after the Games came to an end on August 11, it has been claimed.

"For the fiscal year 2022 to 2023, we committed only TTD$30 million (£3.5 million/$4.4 million/€4.0 million) knowing full well that TTOC would be unable to process all their invoices in that fiscal year and TTF$5million (£607,000/$738,000/€695,000) to the second year 2023 to 2024," Cudjoe said.

Cudjoe revealed that there are still outstanding invoices but that these were expected to total approximately TTF$8million (£4 million/$5.1 million/€4.9million) which leaves total Games expenditure within the forecast budget.

Trinbago 2023 used mostly refurbished facilities, although a new installation was built for beach volleyball at Black Rock.

Accounts do not include the cost of refurbishment for the Hasely Crawford Stadium which was used for the Opening Ceremony and is also expected to stage the 2025 Caribbean Free Trade Association - CARIFTA - Games in athletics.

"I will go back to the Cabinet and do the necessary to show how the funds were spent and justify if and why additional support is needed," Cudjoe pledged.