Nine representatives from the Ministry of Trade (MTI) and its agencies accompanied Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on the recent mission to India, Trade Minister Stephen Cadiz said yesterday.

He said the ministry will release an account of its expenses during the India trip.

Speaking at a luncheon meeting hosted by State agency e TecK and its subsidiary InvesTT about the interaction amongst local businesses and their Indian counterparts during the Indian trade mission at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Port of Spain yesterday, Cadiz said since the media kept asking for cost clarification, for his ministry at least, he will "put it to rest" and release what was accounted for. He did not say when.

"I can speak for the MTI, where we had e TecK and InvesTT, the Business Development Co and the Freezone Co as the three State agencies (under the ministry's umbrella) that went to India...There were three officials from the ministry; four representatives from e TecK/InvestTT; one from the BDC; and one from the Freezone Co," said Cadiz.

Recently installed e TecK chairman Brian Frontin said 45 private sector businesspeople also went on the India trip at their own expense.

He added that since Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar's trip was a State visit and the ministers who accompanied her were part of the official delegation, the government of India paid for their expenses as well—within reason.

He said those that went from InvesTT, iGovTT, TSTT and other State enterprises, as well as private businesspeople, funded their own costs.

"No commitment or payment was made (by the Government) to private people," he said.

He said that he did not know where the figure of $10 million circulated in the media as the cost to taxpayers came from but whatever the cost, it represented an investment in Trinidad and Tobago.

Cadiz said that Trinidad and Tobago has not made any promises to the government of India. Responding to questions relating to what India wants from Trinidad and Tobago, he said India was looking for new markets and places to invest, because the country recognised it had to go outside in order to grow.