"Welcome to Molokai! Come visit, don't stay." It's not the tourism focused tropical themed experience that Maui, Kauai, and Waikiki resorts try to provide. Imagine the island is someone's home that you're visiting. It's still full of friendly Hawaiians, but don't try to claim a bedroom and expect a warm response.

Also, Molokai Ranch would love to spin a story about how much they care about the locals, but Molokai recognizes the same scheme happening on other islands. Build some luxury, gate it off. Build more luxury, gate it off. Offer the locals some minimum wage jobs, tell them to be happy or pound sand. Sorry, you can't cross our land to get to the sand.

Molokai chooses their lifestyle, which isn't modern 3 and 2's with an upscale strip mall nearby. No Walmarts, no Panera, no Chick-fil-A. No attracting outside development that will pave over Hawaii and sell it off to foreign investors.

Whoops, a bit long winded, but the tldr is Molokai is friendly but untrusting, seeing what happens when foreign investment decides they can make a profit off selling your home.