Stephen Howes told The Weekly Times that the continuation of the 120-hour over four weeks requirement for short-term PALM workers was a good move for employers, and would lead to increased hiring of Pacific workers.

Earlier plans to guarantee 30 hours of work each week have been dropped in the face of a fall in employer demand.

Maho Laveil spoke to ABC Radio National’s Sunday Extra show as the co-author of the new book, Struggle, Reform, Boom and Bust, which was published as a retrospective of the past 50 years of economic activity in PNG.

Stephen Howes, spoke to ABC’s Pacific Beat and says from an economic or social welfare perspective PNG’s development performance has been disappointing if you compare it to expectations at the time of independence or other countries. However, he says if this research provokes a discussion about the ongoing challenges then that is one sign of hope.