IT IS practically unavoidable to be in and around the town of Mahdia without hearing the name Roger Hinds or simply, Mr. Hinds. Whether it is at the town’s hotel, supermarket or even at the gas station in Linden that signals the start of the eight-hour drive to the community, you must hear about the man that has dedicated all his energy towards developing Mahdia.

As a young man, at just 18 years old, he already had a knack for doing business. He resided in Kumaka, in the Moruca subregion of Region One and would supply goods to persons in the community. Subsequent to that, he decided to bring his skills down south to Mahdia.

“When I came here, people used to want to invest $100 and get $500 back and what I realised was that Mahdia could really use a turnaround,” Hinds explained and related that he decided to begin bringing supplies to the region and offered them at a much cheaper price.

The man, who is now 54 years old, started small. He trekked many miles walking from Chumachumari to Garraway stream, which is at least a 45-minute drive from central Mahdia. Sometimes, he shared that passing truck drivers would give him a lift; aside from that, it was a journey he underwent on foot.

Increasing business
But because he wanted to provide his services to the community, he persevered. And in so doing, he was able to capitalise on opportunities that arose and eventually became the sole supplier to the region.

“I used to supply from the whole of Mabura straight down to Mahdia all by myself,” Hinds shared, “Sometimes I does order truckloads of goods and before it reach Mahdia, it done.”

Eventually, Hinds was able to secure a spot in the arcade and then worked diligently to build his empire. “One business bring two businesses, two businesses bring three businesses and three businesses bring four businesses because that’s how it goes right,” the businessman noted.

Moving up, he took a loan from the bank and opened a gas station in Linden. And then continued managing his businesses efficiently to keep his success going.

“We built that small hotel about 10 or 12 years ago and with that and my other business in Georgetown, that pushed me to build the bigger hotel. And with a bigger hotel, it pushed me to build the supermarket,” the man related.

Hinds posited: “If you have four businesses, you take that profit and invest it back into another one because it is all about development. You have to sit and see 10 or 15 years ahead.”

But for him, it is not about making money and being successful for himself, instead, he shared: “I would sit down and try to see what Mahdia needs.”

For the love of the community
And in so doing, he indicated that he was the first person to supply electricity to the area- and he did so for about 12 years until the government stepped in. He also dug six wells in the area to supply the residents with running water for some time and he eventually brought telephone services and cable televisions, just so that the residents would have access to all utilities and services.

“It’s like a sacrifice… I came to Mahdia and saw what it needed [and] I realised that I could make a difference,” the man said. “You just can’t living in a community and not hustling to give back and if I didn’t love this community, you would’ve never seen me put back into it.”

He also noted: “When I started to build, people saw me as a madman and wondered why I wanted to invest. But it’s like a vision I’m seeing that Mahdia would not be just a town in the future, it would become a city.”

According to him, however, his journey to success would not be possible without the massive support he has received over the years. As an ardent believer in God, he shared that he would receive blessings and even visions that would guide his endeavours. He also shared that his wife and four children are his “backbone” that holds him firm, even when he is confronted by adversity.

He also credited the American government for giving him a ‘good push’ in life by exposing him to new markets, and for providing him with the opportunity to let three of his four children study in the US. “The best thing you can do for your children is education,” Hinds asserted and added: “The world is about education and I never really had it, only up to first form.”

Hinds is also seen as the largest employer in central Mahdia and shared that he treats his workers as though they are his own children. And this is why, according to him, they are motivated to work diligently.

“The more well you could treat them good you would get back good from them,” he said.

And though he has already done so much for the community, he shared that his venture to establish a church in the community. In fact, the building has already commenced this venture and he hopes that this can be completed as soon as possible- because he wants to bring Mahdians ‘closer to God’.