At a time when in Malta a deep discussion is taking place about the economic and social changes that are needed, the Stolper Report makes for essential reading. Presented to the Malta government on the eve of Independence, the report laid out what changes Malta then had to undertake in order to survive and to progress.

Commissioned by the UN, the report was prepared by a mission of development experts headed by Professor Wolfgang Stolper, from Michigan University, who had worked in Nigeria and other developing countries.  When it was published, the Stolper Report raised hackles, not least for its blunt language. "There are no quick solutions... Without an increase in efficiency, it is not possible to create permanent jobs..." However the Report made a wide range of policy proposals that are still being followed today.

The Stolper Report has been published by the publishing label -- quinque -- in facsimile format, exactly as presented to Maltese decision-makers in the 1960s. In a foreword to the Report, Professor Godfrey Baldacchino highlights how the Stolper recommendations affected Malta's economy and society over the years. "After 60 years and counting, Malta has confounded its critics."

The Stolper Report is available from bookshops, online bookseller and the -- quinque -- website (€20)