Kiribati - Betio

On Sunday morning we arrived off the coast of Kiribati (pronounced Kirabas as ti is an s sound in I-Kiribati) and were eager to get off the boat and ashore to begin set up for our first clinic at Betio Sports Complex (pronounced Besio). The islands themselves are surrounded by reefs and are nothing but spits of sand studded with palm trees. It appears the highest place on the island is about 5 to 10 feet above sea level.

We stayed on the boat all of Sunday due to a small issue between the U.S.A. and Kiribati governments concerning the Navy's sovereign right to not surrender a list of the crew linked to Department of Defense activities, i.e. the Navy and Merchant Marine crew. The issue goes from Kiribati customs agents to the Kiribati President and from our Commodore to the Commander of the Pacific Fleet, and wouldn't you know, an agreement is reached. So Monday we get on ground and instead of using the planned helo-ops, we end up having to take a 35 to 45 minute RHIB ride in. Once we arrive at the Betio Sports Complex the reason is clear; the ground is overgrown with both weeds and trash and the paved parts in are disrepair. Looking around one would think the place was 13 years old but a dedication plaque indicates it is only 3 years old.

The area itself is rich with World War II history everywhere you look. We drove past the battle-scarred Japanese headquarters, pillboxes and bunkers poke out from the ground, and the Japanese artillery guns, though rusty, still appear to guard the coasts. Even the RHIB ride in to Tarawa is historical. It is the same path the Marines took storming the beaches. Several boats are stranded on the reef just as the Marine's amphibious landing craft were stranded, forcing the Marines to swim and wade inland or face certain death under the Japanese counterattack. The water level is only 3 to 5 feet above the reef that stretches up to 500 yards from the beach.

Kiribati itself is another one of these "beautiful disaster" island nations. The scenery and people are genuinely friendly, but the conditions they live in leave a lot to be desired. The islands are small and narrow to the point you can see from one side of the island to the other just by turning your head. This leads to overcrowding and a collection of refuse. The only way they get rid of their refuse that I've seen is to burn it. The U.S. Public Health Service environmental health people have even told us of beaches that are littered with human excrement. One even joked that they don't even need to do thorough tests for choleform bacteria; they can just fill a glass up and then hold it up to the light for visual confirmation. The "Kiribati Salute" refers to checking the bottom of one's shoes for surprises.

Another interesting cultural difference is the children. They are everywhere and into everything. The children are very nice, curious to see us and what we are doing, and aren't afraid to invade your personal space. Another joke is that they seem to let their dogs and children run free, but lock the pigs up. Speaking of pigs and sustenance, due to the islands lack of space and rather dry conditions, they are only able to grow food in crops in small amounts and fishing predominates the food gathering. Kiribati is actually expected to be the first country to disappear due to global warming and the rising of the seas.