The diplomat told the Greens they need not worry. The Greens were victims of a brutal attack last year at their holiday home in Bacelot, Tobago.
They had planned the demonstration to protest the delay in getting compensation from Trinidad and Tobago and also to warn foreigners about the high level of crime in the country. They had told the British media that the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) had promised compensation and had been giving them the "run around".
But THA Chief Secretary Orville London told local media Wednesday the allegations were not true and that he had never promised any compensation. That matter is before the compensation board. Justice Minister Herbert Volney told the media in Port of Spain the Greens will be getting some compensation early in 2011.
Commenting on his conversation with the Greens, Nicholas said it was "cordial" and that he plans to talk with the couple again in the new year. Green was relieved that Nicholas spoke with him and was impressed with the diplomat.
He told the Trinidad Express, "I certainly feel a lot more reassured. I think his excellency is a true gentleman and I shall always remember him with fondness and he's a very good man to represent your country. He's a good ambassador for T&T."
Green told the paper the maximum compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Unit of about £5,000 (TT$50,000) cannot cover medical expenses. However he said he remains optimistic that some "amicable settlement" can be reached.
Commenting on the statement from London that the THA never promised any compensation Green told the Express that shocked him. "One day I will face him face-to-face. I would love to and I will tell him what I think of him. He's a dreadful man," Green said.
He said the only expenses covered by the THA were two one-way tickets from the United Kingdom to Trinidad for his son, Martin, and another from Toronto to Trinidad for his sister, Ann Vines.
Green denied London's claim that the THA paid the entire hotel bill for his sister and son, adding that his insurance covered all expenses.
"Everything was covered, all the airfare, the hotel bills, everything covered by my insurance. Nobody asked Mr Orville London to go out and pay, all he had to do was to submit his bills to my insurance company and it would have been settled, but Mr London is trying to make political gain on our misfortune," Green claimed.
"He is making us out to be villains and we're not, we're old-age pensioners who have been struck down by a horrific attack and our lives have been changed forever," Green told the paper.
London had his say as well on Wednesday. He told reporters in Scarborough Nicholas should have stayed out of the matter.
"No ambassador is supposed to make any statement on his own. I feel very strongly that an ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago making statements, which I believe are his own personal opinions, he has to understand what is the role of an ambassador," London said.
He insisted that there is a lot of misinformation being circulated about this matter and stated again that he never promised compensation to the couple.
"Would you believe that we would really have a discussion where you talking about in one room a gentleman in ICU, hovering between life and death, and his wife seriously injured. Do you think that is the environment and atmosphere in which compensation would be an issue? I want us to ask ourselves that question," London asked.
He added that he fears the whole matter is getting out of hand.
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