Barbados PM dies of cancer

BRIDGETOWN - Barbados Prime Minister David Thompson died Saturday at his home in Saint Philip, a media report said. He was suffering from cancer.

David John Howard Thompson, 48, had begun treatment for pancreatic cancer in March this year. He was diagnosed with a malignant tumour, Prensa Latina reported.

Because of his critical condition, he recently introduced changes to his cabinet, maintaining only his posts as leader of the executive and chief of national security.

Thompson was born in London in 1961. He became head of the government in January 2008, when he led the Democratic Labor Party to a win in over 20 of the 30 seats in the National Assembly.