The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage yesterday distanced himself from recent comments made by Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade as to how “distressed” he was about a “jailhouse wedding” that took place last year.

Dr Nottage told The Tribune that “further clarification” on Mr Greenslade’s comments would have to come from the commissioner himself.

The Bain and Grants Town MP added that suggestions from the commissioner that he had no authority to dispense justice against the officers who sanctioned the wedding had nothing to do with him. “(Mr Greenslade’s) remarks stand for themselves,” Dr Nottage said.

“I have no take on it. I heard what he said. As far as I’m 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.”

On March 7, 2014, Kendrick Tinker was arrested in connection with the seizure of 50 pounds of marijuana.

The next day, he was allowed to marry his fiancée at the Central Police Station after his family was unable to have him released on police bail.

A chief superintendent, a corporal and two constables were reported to have facilitated the wedding.

On Tuesday, Mr Greenslade told reporters he was still “very upset” about the matter.

He said if he had the “authority to dispense justice” in that situation he would have done so already. He also suggested that reporters put further questions to others about the matter.

“You will recall that when I spoke initially to members of the press and officers alike about that incident at Central, I appeared to be very distressed and very upset,” he said, responding to a question from a reporter.

“I am still very distressed, still very upset. My demeanour has not changed. If that matter was in my purview, and I had the authority to dispense justice, you would not have been asking me that question, because I would have dealt with that. I followed procedures that I must follow as a commissioner, in respect of a person who is wearing a khaki uniform at the assistant superintendent level. Those procedures are very different.

“Everyone in authority over me in this country understands clearly those procedures.

“I’m going to invite you to put that question to some other people.”

Speaking on the issue last year, however, former Free National Movement deputy leader Loretta Butler-Turner claimed that while sources within the RBPF insisted that Mr Greenslade was strongly opposed to the marriage, a senior officer at the station allegedly received the go-ahead from National Security State Minister Keith Bell after being unsuccessful in getting Mr Greenslade’s approval.

She subsequently demanded from the Ministry of National Security a full explanation of the events surrounding the wedding, including the authoritative figure who sanctioned the act.

For the wrongful approval, Mrs Butler-Turner said at the time that “heads must roll”.

However, when The Tribune questioned Dr Nottage about the matter last year, he said the claims were “foolish”.

He said no “executive” within the Ministry of National Security could sanction such an act.

Mr Bell did not want to comment on Mr Greenslade’s comments yesterday.