Bridgetown.
The benefits to Barbados as the host of Exercise Tradewinds 2012 are significant says Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force Colonel Alvin Quintyne.
A 27 member contingent from the Canadian Army led by Operations Officer Lieutenant Steph Laplante, was on the island last month carrying out upgrates at Regional Police Training Centre, the Barbados Defence Force base at Paragon and the Coast Guard headquarters.
Quintyne said the island should also receive economic benefits from hotel bookings and other goods and services to support the police, soldiers, coast guard officers and other personnel from the 17 countries involved in the excercise,
"I expect the 350 plus military and law enforcement visitors to make their presence felt, not only at the training sites but in the souvenir and gift shops, restaurant, nightclubs and at other places of interest around the island during they stay as our guests", Quintyne said.
Exercise Tradewinds 2012 is a Caribbean/United States training programme involving police, army, coast guard and other security personnel. It is being held in Barbados from June 16 to 24.
