STATES investment in public infrastructure failed to meet a target set in the 10 years to 2010.

A WARNING from top civil servants that the States must curb its spending has been ignored by ministers.

THE pressure that faces UK Chancellor George Osborne to come up with a Plan B approach to the UK economy provides a counterpoint to the situation this island finds itself in.

Billed by the Chamber of Commerce as probably the key issue of today, the States of Guernsey’s economist yesterday provided a specialist’s view on government spending and the factors that have seen it increase nearly fivefold over the last 100 years.

IT WASN’T obvious at the time, but when the Education minister claimed that after the rebuild of Les Beaucamps School, ‘La Mare de Carteret will be next’, it was the first salvo in what will become a desperate fight between departments for very limited capital monies.

TREASURY and Resources is working with States departments to control their budgets but without micromanaging them, according to the minister.

IN A recent column I gave a rundown of a dozen big issues this States has to address over the next year or so – but I forgot one potentially controversial subject.

SPEAKING in the Assembly last week, the Treasury minister made plain his irritation with those – and, by inference, this newspaper – who criticise government for not doing enough to curb States expenditure.

A STATES programme designed to deliver millions in taxpayer savings has so far produced none.

A NUMBER of States members contacted this newspaper after this column was critical of the lukewarm efforts to tackle public sector expenditure to say that they agreed with the thrust of the comments.