Financial figures you can trust
THIS time last year the States made great play of heralding the progress made in the transition to International Public Sector Accounting Standards.
It said that would ‘put to bed’ the argument that the accounts aren’t accurate or cannot be relied upon.
Sadly the commentary provided with these transitional accounts was pretty confusing, and so it was difficult to unearth the real financial picture.
This year it would be churlish to criticise the States for going too far in explanation, but P&R has certainly made sure it covers every angle in explaining the figures.
Figures which, surprise, surprise, wouldn’t have been that great a shock to anyone following government activities in the past few months.
Yes we’re running out of money, we’re under great pressure, but we’ve had the odd windfall and we’re just about breaking even, day-to-day.
Meanwhile, our investment fortunes have transformed in 12 months – but it’s a paper figure only so let’s not get carried away by that.
Nobody’s going to cash in.
So it’s good news, of a kind, but a very temporary form of good news.
The next States is still going to have to make a funding debate a rapid priority, or the community is going to have to go through a rapid reassessment of our priorities and demands, particularly when it comes to health services.