“I believe that in a country such as ours, service providers in the information technology sector have to be more than merchants. They have to view what they offer in the context of what the society needs. By this I do not only mean in the sense of taking advantage of a market but also of creating a link between what they provide and what the country needs for its development,” says Starr Computers Chief Executive Officer Mike Mohan.
Established in 1994 Starr Computers has, over time, developed a vision of itself that goes far beyond “just selling computers.” Mohan says that while people are unlikely to be fooled by attempts to sell them the notion “that we are just do-gooders,” it is entirely possible to do good business in the IT sector in Guyana while “making a difference” as far as the development of the country is concerned.
“We want to be able to satisfy ourselves that we can help apply technology to develop all of the important sectors here in Guyana, whether it be education, agriculture, science, or any other field. We want to know that we can introduce the kind of technology that can help business become more efficient and help the business community defend itself against crime.”
Mohan likes the idea of popularizing the use of technology which he believes is the most important underpinning of President Bharrat Jagdeo’s one-lap-top-per-family offer. “Of course the actual execution and longer-term management of such a project is bound to have its challenges; but it is an excellent idea. What it has done is to draw a great deal of additional attention to Guyana as a country that has an interest in information technology. There are opportunities for employment since such a large number of computers will obviously require a technical support base. That means employment; it means training; it means job-creation; so that apart from the fact that more Guyanese will have access to computers there will be positive spinoffs. There will be a tremendous opportunity here for empowering small technicians,” Mohan says.
From Starr’s standpoint there are also commercial advantages for established businesses that will eventually materialise out of the one-lap top-per-family initiative. “Over time Starr has been doing business with some of the major players in the US in the IT game…………companies like INTEL, AMD, LENOVA, Hewlett Packard, and Q-See. Now that the President’s idea has triggered an interest among some of these companies in Guyana we are hoping that we can collaborate with them in order to bring their technology to Guyana. Mohan explains that he is pleased with Starr’s positioning since, Guyana being a small country, many of these large companies would prefer to work through an intermediary like ourselves.”
Mohan says that what Starr Computers hopes to do is to work with major manufacturers to identify technology that can be applied to development in Guyana. “It really is a matter of monitoring the direction in which development is going in Guyana and responding to what is happening,” Mohan says.
One of his concerns is with accessibility of computers. “There used to be a time when computers were expensive. Twenty years ago, for example, personal computers were simply not accessible to most Guyanese. There is no reason why that should be the case today. We want to remove the notion that computers are strictly imported, high-priced items that are beyond the reach of the ordinary man.” Accordingly, Starr Computers has completed the creation of its own ‘factory’ and by March this year will beginning turning out a local brand in commercial quantities. “Actually, we can probably do 100 a day but the market is not there for that quantity,” Mike says.
Starr has, over time, built its own significant technical capacity. The company employs ten trained technicians and feels sufficiently confident in itself to have developed an internal IT demonstration centre that is open to both groups and individuals. “We have begun to offer seminars to the public which are designed to have them become more familiar with information technology. I believe that this is a tremendous opportunity for persons interested in technology.,”
One of Mohan’s great interests is in building bridges between Starr Computers and critical entities in the public and private sectors. “We want to work with groups in the various sectors……….law enforcement, education, agriculture, technology and the others. With the new vehicle surveillance device that we launched recently we have invited representatives of the various sectors to participate in demonstrations that will help them to see the benefits of the device.”
Mohan says that the idea mooted by the President of offering tax breaks to persons purchasing computers was one which had crossed his own mind as well. “It really is a matter of providing a strong incentive for people to become intimate with information technology. There really is no reason why every teacher in this country, every nurse in this country, every public servant for that matter, should not own a computer and the idea of being able to secure a tax break by buying one is a progressive idea,” Mohan says.
Mohan believes that there ought to be a greater preoccupation with information technology in Guyana, “not for its own sake but for what it can do to take the country forward. It really is a matter of discovering that there are new ways, technology-driven ways of doing things and that those ways will help us realise our goals at a much quicker pace.
Mohan says that Starr Computers’ focus on delivering a “green” personal computer is consistent with its focus on supporting the goals of clean energy and energy conservation. “We are keen on the project because it provides the best example that we can offer at this time of a product that fits in with the concept of responding to the country’s needs. As far as we are aware environmental and energy conservation are both at the forefront of the development thrust in Guyana. A ‘green’ computer fits in with and supports that concept,” Mohan says.
