Cyril’s Transportation Service (CTS) and the Knight Rider Bus Service (KBS) are providing extensive ground transportation to ExxonMobil, a development hailed by the private sector as an example of local content at work.
This newspaper understands that while CTS had been the lone provider over the years, an invitation for services last year saw Knight Rider Bus Service securing a stake as “there is enough work for both of them to handle”.
CTS is located in David Street, Kitty, having moved from its Thomas Street, Cummingsburg location while KBS is located in Delhi Street, Prashad Nagar.
“We are happy and this shows we have the capacity to provide simple services and we will have to work to ensure we build capacity in other areas,” Private Sector Commission (PSC) Chairman Paul Cheong told Stabroek News.
“We want to see those [awarding of contracts to local firms] in all the areas. We have 40 areas in the [Local Content] Bill and a few we are at 100 percent. So we still need to focus on building in those other areas and others as they emerge,” he added.
Neither CTS nor KBS was available to speak to Stabroek News on the contract.
When the contract was announced by ExxonMobil in 2020, then PSC Chairman Nicholas Boyer had pointed out that it was a major opportunity for local providers in this area and they needed to step up their game to ensure that one of them secured the contract.
In the advertisement, ExxonMobil had said that it was seeking to identify suppliers who could provide ground transportation and management services for a growing fleet in excess of 70 vehicles.
“These services will include the supply of vehicles for long and short term hire, as well as various personnel such as drivers and dispatch operators, among others. Suppliers must be able to provide systems and tools to manage trips”, the ad said.
Boyer had said that transportation services is an area already being capitalised on and had pointed to the then Cyril’s Taxi Service as an example of a local company providing a large number of vehicles for use.
He noted that as the umbrella body for the business sector, the PSC advocates to help members and budding entrepreneurs understand the oil and gas industry and had urged members to position themselves to capitalize on contracts. He said that support is provided as members are advised on what they need to do to get involved, such as where to get registered and the documentation they will need.
One of the criteria for all bidders was that they must be registered with the Centre for Local Business Development (CLBD). The CLBD was set up by ExxonMobil as an intermediary for local companies interested in providing goods and services for the oil major.
CLBD Director Patrick Henry had said of the transport advertisement: “This is one of those opportunities in allowing local companies… outside of the technical areas to access opportunities and bid and work and grow with the sector, for larger work throughout. It is an opportunity to take advantage of.”
Now, persons have to be registered with the Local Content Secretariat established under the Local Content legislation. However, while companies in the oil and gas sector can still award contracts to persons or companies not registered, the government has made it clear that it will not count as local content and thus cannot be used in the calculation requirements stated by the law.
For the PSC, the transportation contract for the main oil and gas operator here is significant but it is hoping that Guyanese will soon develop the skillsets needed for work in all of the areas the at least 40-year industry brings. “We have to build capacity“, Cheong stressed.
Niche
CTS boasts that it “has carved out a unique niche for itself in Guyana’s transportation industry” but made clear that “it was not easy”.
“As the preferred transportation provider for key players in the nation’s oil and gas sector, CTS is now a household name in Guyana. But this status was only achieved through an exceptional amount of hard work and innovative thinking by the management and staff of CTS,” the company’s website states.
The company began operations in 1980 when the family of Chef Executive Officer (CEO) Mulshankar ‘Sunil’ Persaud bought the business from a Chinese company. At that time, according to website, it was located three doors away from the large four-storey building where its headquarters is now currently located.
“The Persaud family initially bought the business with 30 taxis, and operations were relatively successful for the first few years. Then, in the late 1980s to early 1990s Guyana experienced an economic downturn and a steep devaluation of the Guyana dollar. As business slowed, the family struggled to keep it alive and they were forced to close down the taxi service in 1993. During this time, the Persaud family’s Matriarch passed away and her son Sunil inherited her business interests. As he sought to reignite the family business, Sunil resolved to reopen CTS and make it a success, a goal he shared with his wife, Andrea Persaud,” the website said.
The couple decided to “bite the bullet” and CTS re-launched in 2007 with just three cabs.
“By thinking outside the box, they activated a new game plan—provide unrivaled customer service, give passengers maximum safety and comfort; deliver absolute on-time reliability, and let the company’s reputation grow from the testimony of their satisfied customers. Bringing the plan to full fruition took time, dedication and a lot of hard work, but in the end it paid off spectacularly,” the company says.
Now, the CTS fleet of vehicles is up to 180 vehicles and counting.
The company states that it also employs close to 300 persons, “many of whom are kept busy satisfying the executive transportation needs for the Country’s growing economy”.
The company said that it prides itself in its safety standards and all of their vehicles are equipped with GPS tracking devices which ensures safety for both driver and client. The vehicles also have fire extinguishers and personal protection gear for its drivers.
Prided
Knight Rider Bus Service has been in operation since 1992 and the company says that it has provided charters for a number of local and international organisations alongside its tour operations. “Since our inception, we have prided ourselves in the knowledge that we are the safest, most reliable and resilient privately owned ground transportation service with the largest fleet of vehicles. With the most modern fleet of vehicles, we provide charters for most tour operators, international organizations (e.g. UNICEF, UNDP, P.A.H.O. /W.H.O., W.W.F., etc.), including foreign missions, governmental and non-profit organizations operating in Guyana,” the company states.
“We have been privileged to provide our service to the Guyana Cricket Board, Guyana Football Federation and Guyana World Cup Cricket Organization to transfer international teams to and from sports events. A number of primary and secondary schools and universities (University of Guyana and University of the West Indies) are also valuable clients that use our prestigious service for educational tours,” it added.
