The Island Inhabitants
The Island Inhabitants November 2010 The small independent island nation was at the end of a long chain of Pacific archipelago islands more than 40 miles from it’s nearest island neighbor, 154 square miles in size, large and protected shallow clear blue lagoons surrounding the island with white sugar sand beaches, many isolated coves with similar beaches and a very small stable population of less than 450 natives. Only one very bored part-time policeman and a government of 15 people ran the entire island nation. The island bore a strong resemblance to the mythical island of Bali Ha’i of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific. Bali Ha’i was based on the real island of Ambae. Transportation to the island was weekly floatplane flights and a weekly ferry from the nearest island 40 miles away, …