“Unacceptable” – ExxonMobil Guyana head on shooting of vehicle assigned to company

…says tender out for transportation providers

The news was broken late last year that the owner of Cyril’s Transportation Service, Muishankar Persaud, — contracted by ExxonMobil Guyana to provide the company with transportation — had been arrested for shooting at one of his own vehicles.

During a press conference on Wednesday, ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge, whose vehicle had been targeted in that attack, in expressing shock at the incident, noted that in light of the fact that ExxonMobil emphasizes safety, this incident should never have happened.
“I was shocked with what happened. As I (stated in) this discussion, safety is first and paramount for all of us, and so I’m shocked that anybody would think it’s a good idea to release a weapon in the streets. So, to me, that’s unacceptable,”
Routledge has said.
He meanwhile confirmed that ExxonMobil Guyana is indeed searching for new providers of transportation. According to the executive, “We have a tender that’s ongoing. And again, I can’t comment on the outcome of a tender process. It’s ongoing.”
In a statement issued in December 2024, the Guyana Police Force had announced it was “investigating an ‘alleged discharging of a loaded firearm with intent”, committed on ExxonMobil driver Kordel Assanah, which occurred at about 16:30h on December 2, 2024 at the corner of Drury Lane and Lamaha Street, Georgetown.
Naming 54-year-old businessman Muishankar Persaud, owner of Cyril’s Transportation Service, in their statement, the GPF had detailed, “Investigations revealed that Assanah and the businessman are known to each other. The businessman is also a licensed firearm holder of one 9mm Glock pistol. According to the businessman, two of his Toyota Prado SUVs (one bearing registration #PAB 3494) were stolen from him earlier this year.
“The businessman said he was at his office at David Street, Kitty when he received a phone call from someone stating that they saw one of the stolen vehicles on Kitty Railway Embankment. As a result, he proceeded to the said location, where he later saw a Prado SUV fitting the description of one stolen from him. The vehicle was heading south on Lamaha Street.”
According to the GPF in their statement, the businessman had related that he exited his vehicle, and while walking towards the Prado vehicle, he fired a shot from his licensed firearm at the vehicle, hitting the right back wheel and causing the vehicle to come to a stop.
“As he approached the driver, he recognized him and then realized the vehicle was not one that was stolen from him. The scene was processed by police from Alberttown Police Station. One 9MM spent shell was found at the scene. No one was injured. The firearm was lodged and the businessman is assisting the police with the ongoing investigation,” GPF had further stated in the release.