City Hall has refunded the Japanese Embassy the over $700,000 balance from the grant it received 2009, but not in US currency as requested by that embassy.
Acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba could not explain why the money was not converted when she was asked by Mayor Hamilton Green, at the council’s statutory meeting yesterday. She said that the matter is not that simple. Sooba told the mayor and councillors that a representative from the embassy in Trinidad has been calling her every week. She said the embassy is requesting a report and the conversion to US$ of the money refunded.
In 2009, the Japanese government had given the council a grant of US$75,828 towards a grassroots environmental enhancement project for Lodge Housing Scheme and Century Palm Gardens. The project was not fully executed and Green had