It seems Commissioner Ellison Greenslade was correct in suggesting that he is not solely responsible for disciplinary action against the senior officer on whose watch the infamous jailhouse wedding took place.

The incident involved Kendrick Tinker, 35, of Grand Bahama, who was arrested on drug charges the day before his wedding was scheduled to take place last March. Against the orders of the commissioner, the ceremony was allowed to go forward at a cell in Central Police Station, with the permission of a senior officer.

When asked about the matter recently, Greenslade said he was still very upset about the "dastardly" incident, and were it up to him, all the officers involved would have been dealt with - including the ranking officer, who would have been fired. He said those in authority over his office were well aware of his views and he invited the press to direct their questions to "others".

Responding to the commissioner's statements, Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage was quoted in The Tribune as saying: "As far as I am aware the Royal Bahamas Police Force has disciplinary procedures and has a disciplinary process that does not involve civilian authority, and certainly does not involve me, so you'd have to get further clarification from the commissioner."

Asked by The Nassau Guardian to respond to Nottage's remarks, the commissioner invited the public to examine the Police Force Act and determine where responsibility for disciplining the senior officer lies.

While responsibility for dealing with officers below the rank of inspector falls firmly within the purview of the commissioner - and junior officers on duty at the time of the incident have been duly penalized - officers who wear khaki uniforms fall under "a different procedure", Greenslade noted. He is correct. According to the act in question, while the commissioner can commence disciplinary action the final decision on punishment for major offenses committed by officers above the rank of inspector, not including the commissioner and deputy commissioner, lies with the governor general acting on the advice of the Police Service Commission.

On the face of it, the commissioner has done all he can. He said: "I was quick to make a public announcement to the country as to how I felt about it and how I felt it should have never happened and I directed swift action. A file was prepared. All the necessary papers were prepared and we followed all the procedures that should have been followed."

The ball, then, is firmly in the court of the Police Service Commission and Dame Marguerite Pindling. It is unclear what advice the commission has forwarded to the governor general. The public deserves to know what is the final decision by the powers that be on this matter. It cannot be that it is fine that accused people are allowed to use police stations as their private wedding parlors. If it is found that an officer allowed such a thing, he or she should be dismissed from the force.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian