Papua New Guinea's Oro Governor, Gary Juffa, has supported Fiji's decision to consider its commitment to the regional free trade deal PACER-Plus.
Mr Juffa has has urged the Papua New Guinea Government to consider doing the same.
The Governor, who was PNG's former chief of customs, says PACER-plus is not in the best interests of the people of PNG or the people of the Pacific.
He has questioned the removal of trade barriers and he argues it is near impossible for the small island nations to enter the overly restrictive economies of developed nations like Australia and New Zealand.
Governor Juffa says the small countries of the Pacific have not yet developed their economies adequately to have local companies sufficiently prepared for the trade arrangements.