World Police and Fire Games success

As the World Police and Fire Games have just drawn to a close in New York, I am delighted to tell you that the Police Service of Northern Ireland have picked up five gold , seven silver and four bronze medals.

Colleagues in NI Fire and Rescue picked up three gold, two silver and one bronze, whilst the NI Prison Service return with one gold, four silvers and one bronze medal.

Last Sunday evening at the closing ceremony attended by the Chief Constable, the responsibility for the next games in 2013 was handed over to Northern Ireland.

This will be a fantastic opportunity and will bring approximately 10,000 law enforcement officers and fire fighters, from across the world, to Northern Ireland for the largest sporting event ever hosted here.

The tourism, economic and legacy opportunities that the Games will bring to Belfast specifically and to Northern Ireland in general are significant.

The organisers of the 2013 World Police and Fire Games have set themselves the goal of being the friendliest games. and knowing our Belfast people I am sure that the Games will live up to that ambition.

This is of course only one of a number of very significant events over the next few years. We have already commenced planning with our partner agencies for the City of Culture 2013 in Derry/Londonderry.

There are some really exciting events planned for the City of Culture year that will bring many thousands of visitors into the North West. I am also often reminded as I travel across the M3 bridge of the Titanic commemorations planned for April 2012 as I watch the development of the Titanic Quarter and the building of the iconic landmark centrepiece which will become the Visitors' Centre.

These are fantastic opportunities for us all to show thousands of international visitors everything that is good about Northern Ireland, to the point that they will want to tell others to come here and see what we have on offer - including the world famous warmth of welcome of the Northern Ireland people.