I always wanted to do something in Guyana- Owner/ Manager-Starcomm
A GINA Feature
In August 1995, a fairly successful North American businessman brought his operations to Guyana. Keith Moonasar, owner-manager of Starcomm – an office and institutional furniture manufacturing company - always wanted to return to his country to do ‘something’. He spoke with the Government Information Agency about how he got started in Guyana.
With thirty years experience in the business, Moonasar thought it best to continue doing what he knew best – furniture.
With some encouragement from the late President Dr. Cheddi Jagan, Moonasar begun paying more and more frequent visits to Guyana, ‘prospecting’ as he put it.
An astute businessman, Moonasar soon realized that that there was a good market in Guyana for his product.
Starcom first started out as a furniture wholesale company, selling furniture the company made in the USA.
Coming to do business in Guyana during the early 90’s when the Private Sector in Guyana was now trying to find its footing, Moonasar recognized that things were not going to be easy. But having established himself in the US, he was confident that he could face any challenge in Guyana.
“It is difficult to start in North America. Being a non-European businessman in those countries is very difficult”, Moonasar told GINA.
Having faced many challenges getting his business started and well established in the USA, Moorasar saw setting up in Guyana as another challenge and one he was willing not only to undertake, but to make a success of.
“Regardless which country you go to, you are going to have problems. you just have to solve them one at a time”, he told GINA.
The company was first located at the Ruimveldt Industrial Area but soon outgrew the location. Land was acquired at Colidgen on the East Coast of Demerara and 40,000 square foot manufacturing company was constructed. It is from here that the company now ships its high quality, high in demand products.
According to the Owner/ Manager, there were some start-up problems. He realsied that the local marketis amall. So very early on, Moonasar knew he would have to get into the Caribbean market. He also recognized the need for high quality products, but not necessarily, high priced products.
According to Moonasar, he was able to balance high quality with reasonable prices and combining that with excellent service, the company was able to attract the clientele it needed.
Today, Starcomm offers five-year warrantys on its products. Free floor plans ,layout and design satisfy customers that their needs will be met. Products manufactured and supplied by Starcom are taken back by the company, at no expense to the customer, if the product does not satisfy.
Sharing the secret of his success, Moonasar said, “At the end of the day, the important thing is that the customer must be happy.”
Some of the materials used by Starcom are imported mainly from China and the USA, but most is local, especially the wood used.
Materials are also sourced from other local companies such as foam from Kissoon’s, ply-board from Barama and steel from Gafoor’s. The company also purchases from finished products from Guyana Furniture Manufacturing, Precision Manufacturing and Shiva’s Woodworking.
One of the problems the company has not encountered, is the complaint so often heard from customers of the Customs and Trade Administration.
According to Moonasar, once you are committed to doing the right thing, you really have nothing to worry about. He works with a Customs Broker and said he does not, nor will not engage in corrupt practices.
The entrepreneur acknowledged that there will be instances where there may be delays, but companies, he said, need to be prepared and have material in stock.
Bringing in North American technologies and standards, Starcomm Furniture demanded a high-level skilled labour force, something unavailable at the time the company started. This was another challenge for the entrepreneur who thrives on challenges.
According to Moonasar, many of his early factory-hands were drawn from the cane fields and cattle farms. They had one thing in common – the right attitude.
‘Attitude’ is very important to Moonasar. He noted that a person with the right attitude can be trained for any job, and this is what he looks for in employees.
Sometimes you have to baby-sit them a and hold their hands and talk to them. But once they open their minds, they do well, Moonasar said.
Today, most of Starcomm’s 62 employees have come from farming backgrounds and most live close to where they work.
Employees at Starcom are the most important asset in the business. They sit in at all levels of the decision making process and management is always trying to improve working conditions.
The Guyanese re-migrant entrepreneur is optimistic about the future. Yes, he said his business was affected by the crime wave, located as it is on theEeast Coast of Demerara. But he is determined to carry on.
According to the entrepreneur, the market is opening up. Only recently he satisfied an order for a number of pieces to Trinidad and Tobago where he is now looking to open a show-room. This came after he successfully displayed his products at the Guyana Trade and Investment Show in that country. He is also eyeing the market in Barbados.
Apart from furnishing a number of offices locally, Starcomm has done itself and Guyana proud by supplying the furniture for the soon to be opened Caribbean Court of Justice.
Asked what are his plans for the future, the Guyanese businessman quite calmly and determinedly said, “We will become the office furniture company of the Caribbean.”
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