| Belfast win Games BELFAST
has won its bid to host the World Police and Fire Games in 2013.
About 25,000 people from more than 65 countries are expected to travel
to the event.
It is estimated that the games could boost the economy by about £25million.
The games are held every two years and are open to sworn law enforcement
officers.
Dame Mary Peters, a member of the bid team who is attending this year’s
games in Adelaide, Australia, said everyone was delighted at the news.
She said: “We had a very strong bid team; the Lord Mayor, the
Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure.
“We had the deputy chief constable, the head of the Prison Service,
the head of the Fire Service and others.
“We were shortlisted down to two with Innsbruck in Austria. We heard
the news early this morning that we had been successful in our bid.”
Northern Secretary Peter Hain has described Belfast’s win as “an
outstanding achievement”.
“This is fantastic news for Belfast and the whole of Northern Ireland
and I send my warmest congratulations to everyone in-
volved in the team that presented the bid in Adelaide,” he said.
“They faced stiff competition from start to finish but their enthusiasm
and professionalism has won the day.”
Those who take part in the games include members of the police, fire,
customs and prison services as well as some smaller law enforcement agencies
such as coastguard services and drug enforcement agencies.
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