One of the authors of a report into violence in Papua New Guinea says the country's security situation continues to deteriorate and businesses have no choice but to rely on private security.
A World Bank Group report has found eight out of 10 businesses in Papua New Guinea are suffering substantial losses due to the country's high rates of crime and violence.
A co-author of the report, Alys Willman, says most businesses have to hire security guards but that leads to its own problems.
"Now everybody is hiring private security so if you don't hire private security you are going to be victimised but then you have situations where the security guards themselves are fighting for territory and causing law and order disruptions themselves and there is no regulation."
World Bank Social Development Specialist, Alys Willman, says there is a general frustration in the private sector that the government is not taking law and order issues seriously enough.
