THE States will need to borrow money if major projects are going to get under way, according to Education minister Carol Steere .

Redevelopment of Les Beaucamps and La Mare de Carteret schools, airport runway repairs and investment in mental health care are all competing for priority funding.  But Deputy Steere (pictured) said borrowing could allow the States to start tackling these projects sooner.

‘The States must get its head around this quandary over what is the priority. It’s time the States started to look at alternative funding methods to be able to progress in these important areas, which are vital and necessary for the community,’ she said yesterday.

‘We have committees competing against each other over this and it’s totally unfair on States members and the general public.’

She said that, historically the States had more or less relied on any surplus to fund major projects – although that has become increasingly difficult in recent years.