Ricardo Millien – Ricardo Rent A Car
One of the successful young entrepreneurs in Suriname
On July 14 it is exactly forty years ago that the first Haitians settled in Suriname. On that day, the "Haitian" market opens on Drambrandersgracht. In the afternoon there is an official commemoration of the arrival of the first immigrants in the Congress Hall. The organization is in the hands of the Evangelical foundation L’Eau Vivant, or ‘living water’. A large proportion of Haitian immigrants have focused on agriculture, but there are also successful entrepreneurs. One of them is Ricardo Millien.
Succes is niet voor een ieder weggelegd. Maar met trots kan Ricardo Millien zich scharen in de rij van succesvolle ondernemers, ondanks dat hij niet hoog geschoold is. Hij is een van de duizenden die naar Suriname immigreerden. Hij groeide uit van autowasser tot ondernemer en is eigenaar van Ricardo Rent A Car. Op zijn tiende kwam hij naar Suriname en werd herenigd met zijn moeder die zich eerder hier had gevestigd. Hij is nu 35 jaar en een succesvolle ondernemer met twintig huurauto’s. Zijn succes ging niet van een leien dak. Na verschillende karweitjes te hebben verricht om aan geld te komen, kwam hij terecht als autowasser bij CHM. Al gauw blonk hij uit en klom hoger in functie. Millien mocht auto’s inchecken en later ook facturen opmaken.
As if this blessing was not enough, he turned it into assistant manager. The urge to start their own business was constantly increasing. He bought a car with financing from the bank and hired someone to drive a taxi for him. However, that man was not fair, because he paid almost nothing in income, so Millien could not pay off the vehicle. Growth Millien was not put off by this setback and took a new loan through an acquaintance with the bank, with which he again bought a car. Within six months he had repaid the debt with the proceeds from the income from the car. He purchased more and more cars, but continued to work at the CHM. When he finally decided to say goodbye to his employer in 2011, he had twelve vehicles that he offered to rent. Now he has twenty that are housed in his rental company. Because the successful entrepreneur did not speak the Dutch language, he had to go to primary school from the first
year.
Bronvermelding aangeven : Hoever, N. (2017,04,07). Van autowasser tot eigenaar autoverhuurbedrijf.
De Ware Tijd.(A4)
At the age of sixteen he passed the mulo and then he decided to go to work. He first did all kinds of little chores until he joined the CHM, he describes his fellow countrymen as hard workers. An important advice he gives them: "Do something about your education" The path to success often comes.
