The Trinidad and Tobago Commonwealth Games Association (TTCGA) have informed that Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) that after considering submitting a bid they have decided not to take it any further.

Larry Romany, the President of the TTCGA, said: "The TTCGA and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago conducted a full review, open, constructive and candid discussions in respect of all the current and projected circumstances and concluded that progressing a 2018 bid at this time is not a prudent or responsible course of action."

Trinidad's Prime Minister Patrick Manning had revealed during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), in Port-of-Spain last November that Trinidad were considering launching a bid.

The country had originally announced that it planned to bid in October 2008 but were then hit by the decision to cancel the Caribbean Games last June on the advice of the country's Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation because of the swine flu epidemic, leading Romany to claim afterwards that no-one would trust them to put on the Commonwealth Games.

But successful hosting of the CHOGM revived enthusiasm for the bid.

The Games have not been staged in the West Indies since Kingston in Jamaica hosted it in 1966.

The current economic crisis paid a major part in Trinidad's decision not to bid, however.

Romany said: "Arriving at this point demanded balancing aspirations, ambitions, practical and pragmatic considerations.

"We wish the other potential 2018 candidates best of luck."

The only confirmed bidders for the Games are Abuja, Nigeria's capital which was beaten for the right to host the 2014 event by Glasgow, and the Gold Coast in Australia.

Auckland dropped out earlier this month after the New Zealand Government refused to financially back the bid.

Of the other possible candidates mentioned, Nairobi's bid appears never to have left the drawing board while Durban seem to be preparing to launch a campaign to host the 2020 Olympics.

The CGF are due to announce which city will host the Games during its annual meeting in St Kitts and Nevis in November 2011.

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