Number: A44/2020
Date: 11 September 2020
As Chair of the Indian Ocean Territories (IOT) Regional Development Organisation (RDO), I am pleased to announce further new initiatives funded by the Australian Government to support job creation and tourism development on Christmas Island (CI), as part of the island's economic recovery from COVID-19.
An RDO tourism infrastructure project will develop and upgrade walking trails and informative signage in the settled areas of Christmas Island, starting with the walking trail along the foreshore in the Settlement. The signage will be in one or more of the three community languages of Christmas Island (English, Chinese and Malay).
A new water access point between the Settlement and Flying Fish Cove will also be created as an alternative to the existing jetty, to help facilitate a variety of water-based activities such as swimming, snorkelling, diving and fishing.
These initiatives will provide new and improved recreational amenities to both Christmas Island residents and visitors to the island.
They will be implemented in consultation with the community including key stakeholders such as the Christmas Island Tourism Association. The RDO will also seek to use local businesses to construct this community infrastructure.
Building on the success of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands (CKI) Curriculum Vitae (CV) which can be found on the RDO's new IOT website at indianoceanterritories.com.au/investors, a Christmas Island CV will be developed.
This will showcase the capacity and capability of the private sector and workforce on island. It will also fill a gap on CI, which, unlike CKI, does not have an annually produced business directory.
Once completed, the CI CV will join with the CKI CV to comprise a comprehensive database of local businesses and workers in the IOT that can be tapped to increase employment opportunities in the region's economy.
The RDO and I look forward to keeping you informed as these initiatives progress.
Mrs Natasha Griggs
Administrator of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands