On Monday, Dev at a forum hosted by his Guyana Indian Heritage Association

(GIHA) to launch a Report on East Indians, who suffered at the hands of criminals including kidnappers, criticised Government's intervention as being inadequate.

Guyana has seen a rise in this type of criminal activity, and in response, the Minister of Home Affairs Mr. Ronald Gajraj introduced a Kidnapping Bill in December 2002. Clause 15 provides for the denial of bail to persons charged with kidnapping. The People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) Members of Parliament and Dev objected to this clause.

Persaud, in a comment to the Government Information Agency (GINA) said: "While objection to this clause from the PNCR Members of Parliament was expected, Dev, who days ago spoke about the plight of Indian victims of kidnapping, did not see it fit to support such a clause which seeks to deter such criminal activities and punish kidnappers. For Dev, marching to the PNCR's tune of softer punishment for criminals seems to be more important than the victims, including Indians, who suffer at the hands of the armed bandits and kidnappers in our country.

"This is just another example of his doublespeak and utter non-support for the Government even if it means jeopardising the safety and security of our people. Why complain about not being firm against criminals on one hand and on the other reject and spurn every effort to intensify the crime fight and protect citizens, including East Indians?"

Mr. Persaud observed that "on Thursday afternoon, while our law men were confronting deadly machine gun fire and grenade from bandit and notorious kidnapper Shawn Brown and his accomplices in Prashad Nagar, several opposition Members of Parliament were in the National Assembly attempting to frustrate Government's move to give our law men and judiciary more teeth in dealing with the phenomenon of kidnapping."