Barbados prime minister dies of cancer at 48

PRIME Minister David Thompson of Barbados died early yesterday morning after struggling to beat pancreatic cancer most of the year. He was 48.

Thompson, who became prime minister of the Caribbean nation of 270,000 people in January 2008, died at his private residence in St Philip, the government announced.

Thompson had been ill since March and travelled to New York several times for treatment. He declined to discuss his condition until last month, when his doctor revealed that Thompson was undergoing chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer.

In an address to the nation last month, Thompson said he was reshuffling his Cabinet to pass many of his responsibilities to other ministers.

Freundel Stuart, who was deputy prime minister, was sworn in as the new prime minister and said he did not anticipate any immediate changes to the Cabinet.

"I think we have to get through this very difficult period first," Stuart said. "The harder side of politics will have to take a back seat for the time being."

Thompson is survived by his wife, Marie-Josephine Mara, and their three daughters.