By Steve Bargeton, political editor

ST ANDREWS is accustomed to the world spotlight, but in 48 hours’ time it will be international finance rather than golf that will hold the world’s attention there.

The final touches are being put to plans to host finance ministers from the world’s richest nations under the umbrella of the G20.

Member countries represent around 90% of global gross national product, 80% of world trade and two-thirds of the world’s population.

The summit, which will include Chancellor Alistair Darling, will take place at the Fairmont St Andrews resort.

As the world economy struggles to emerge from recession, decisions made this weekend in Fife might shape the lives of billions of people.

At a working dinner on Friday and sessions on Saturday, finance ministers will wrestle with topics such as the international financial architecture, national policies, international co-operation and global financial institutions.

The G20 group is made up of 19 countries plus Europe, which is represented by the rotating council presidency and the European Central Bank.

The managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the President of the World Bank, plus chiefs of the Inter- national Monetary and Financial Committee and Development Committee of the IMF and World Bank, also participate in G20 meetings on an ex-officio basis.

The summit is expected to attract protesters, but violent demonstrations on the scale seen at Gleneagles, for the G8 summit in 2005, is not expected.

Last night, Fife Police Assistant Chief Constable Andrew Barker said St Andrews should not experience any difficulties.

“Our policing intention over the period of the summit is to ensure the minimum level of disruption to the day-to-day lives of local people, consequently Fife Constabulary has utilised a dedicated team which has been planning for some considerable time for this event,” he said.

“The public may well see a number of additional officers deployed in the area as the week progresses toward what is clearly a high-profile event at the weekend.

“Part of our planning has always been to ensure there are sufficient resources in both St Andrews and other areas of Fife therefore communities should see no reduction in their local policing service over the period of the summit.”

Efforts are under way behind the scenes to ensure there is no confusion between the UK and Scottish governments over who foots the bill for security, as there was for the G8 summit.

Central Fife MSP Tricia Marwick is to raise the issue at First Minister’s Question Time at Holyrood.

“I am absolutely determined that the Scottish Government is not going to be left to pay the bill, as it did for G8 in 2005,” she said.

Fife Police said the cost for security has been calculated and is currently a matter of discussion between the Scottish Government and UK Treasury.

Neither the Treasury nor the Scottish Government were prepared to disclose the estimated costs in advance, as by doing so the scale of the security operation might be compromised.

However, the Scottish Government was in no doubt that the Treasury would be expected to foot the bill.

“The Scottish Government is in close contact with Fife Police about the cost and other implications of the G20 event,” a spokesman said.

Running alongside the G20 will be the People’s G20, which takes in the interests of a wide range of bodies and protest groups.

These include the world development movement, Christian Aid, Friends of the Earth Scotland, UNISON, the STUC, Oxfam, and many others.

The People’s G20 activities will begin at the West Sands at 11.30am on Saturday, and there will a march to the St Andrews University Students’ Association at noon.

The campaign wants G20 leaders to agree to pledges including rebuilding the world economy, guaranteeing public services and investing in a green economy.

Other protests will also take place in and around St Andrews on Friday and Saturday.

Residents who are opposed to G20 have formed their own protest group, Nae Tae G20.

Organiser Alex Brown said they will stage a demonstration at 11am on Friday, at the junction of Market Street and College Street.

They are also planning a march from the same place at 2pm on Saturday.

Alex Brown said he believed G20’s policies will do little to solve global inequality or tackle climate change.

“We’re an ad hoc group based in St Andrews, some of us are students and some of us are not, who have come together to show our collective displeasure at G20,” he said.