Toronto, Canada, February 1, 2010 – A former Grenada diplomat has commended Foreign Affairs Minister Peter David for proposing the establishment of a Bipartisan Committee on Foreign Affairs, which will comprise government MPs and representatives from the parliamentary opposition.
 
 Caldwell Taylor, who once served as Grenada’s Ambassador to the United Nations, said “Minister David gets an A+’’ for his suggestion.
 
 In presenting the idea at a recent sitting of the House of Representatives, Mr. David said committee members will meet to discuss diplomatic relations with other countries and other Grenada foreign relations matters.
 
 “The reason why we are considering that is so that both sides of the House can be engaged in the foreign policy of our country,’’ Minister David explained. “You need to face the world as one united country. I think it would only be fair to the opposition, whoever that opposition is at that time, to participate in the development of foreign policy.’’
 
 Minister David believes a Bipartisan Committee will end what he described as the use of foreign affairs as a “political football,’’ and help the foreign service move forward.
 
 Mr. Taylor, now a Canada-based lawyer, described the Foreign Minister’s proposal as a “good move.’’
 
 “We are 36 years old (as a Nation) and we’re still in the business of diplomatic take-up and -take-down,’’ Mr. Taylor writes in an internet comments on the bipartisan committee proposal.
 
 “We have to move on,’’ he added, “and a bipartisan approach is the right approach, especially as there are no perceptible ideological differences’’ between the ruling National Democratic Congress and the main opposition New National Party.
 
 What’s more, “a bipartisan approach will allow the players to develop protocols and conventions,’’ the former U.N. diplomat said. “It will make for continuity, and continuity is a vital thing. Diplomacy abhors hiccups. Bipartisanship could also help the parties to keep the national interest at the top of their agendas; this is a key way to keep the political state from subverting the Nation in the interest of cheap thrills.’’