I think you will find that what they want are people who will bring income to the island. Subsistence farming really doesn't attract many people who live in (or connected to) western culture, and the island's local industries will not be able to expand much (limited space) to bring money in any other way. By getting a decent internet connection the island can support a community whose main income is off-island, thus bringing money in (to pay those who already live there for they more traditional services) and to increase demand (thus lowering import costs) for staples and luxuries not produced on-island.

All that said, they need people who can adapt to life on island (for all the reasons mentioned above) which makes attracting people non-trivial.