He was Prime Minister under Cheddi Jagan, who died in March 1997. He then became President himself. He then resigned in December to make way for Janet Jagan, Cheddi's widow, to become president, who then appointed him Prime Minister.
In August 1999, Jagan decided to resign, and needed to replace herself with a member of the same party, so she temporarily replaced Hinds with Bharrat Jagdeo, resigned, then Jagdeo automatically became president and reappointed Hinds at Prime Minister.