(BBC):  The former prime minister of Barbados, David Thompson, was laid to rest yesterday following a state funeral at The Kensington Oval cricket grounds in Barbados.
Mr. Thompson, 48, died on October 23 from pancreatic cancer. Dignitaries from across the Caribbean (including President Bharrat Jagdeo) and further afield joined thousands of Barbadians and other residents of the country to pay their last respects.
Mr. Thompson had been ailing for sometime, the extent of which became noticeable in a loss of weight and long absences from office.
It was later disclosed, on his approval, that he was suffering from pancreatic cancer, a malignant disease with an historically poor prognosis for recovery.
Mr. Thompson had disclosed that he had been suffering with stomach pains since early March 2010.

PROFILE IN POLITICS
David John Howard Thompson, the sixth prime minister of Barbados, was born on Christmas Day, 1961, in England but grew up in Barbados.
After a long career in law and politics he was elected prime minister of Barbados on January 15, 2008.
He came to politics in1987 by-election after the death of then prime minister Errol Barrow, by retaining the St John seat for the Democratic Labour Party (DLP). He has held on to that seat since then.
David Thompson got his first cabinet appointment in 1991 when he served as Minister of Community Development and Culture and then finance until early general elections were called in 1994.
He took over the leadership of the party that year, when it lost the government.
The DLP remained in opposition until Mr. Thompson led it to a convincing 20-10 win over the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) in January 2008, ending the BLP’s 13 unbroken run in government.
Thompson’s DLP came into office on a mandate of lowering the cost of living, improving healthcare, and tackling crime.
His coming into office was however marked by the global economic crisis and credit crunch for which he – unlike many of his Caribbean counterparts – against overzealous belt-tightening, putting the onus on government and the private sector to stimulate the economy.

EDUCATION
David Thompson attended Barbados’ Combermere School before going on to study law at the University of the West Indies.
He subsequently became a Queen’s Counsel.
David Thompson was born in London to Charles Thompson, a porter and painter, and Margaret Knight, a secretary and nurse. He was brought up with his six siblings at Fitts Village in St James, Barbados.
He is survived by his wife, their three children, his parents and five brothers.

BRIEF TIMELINE
2008 January – Parliamentary elections won by opposition Democratic Labour Party. David Thompson becomes prime minister.
2009 March – PM David Thompson survives no-confidence vote brought over his handling of financial crisis precipitated by collapse of Trinidad-based insurance company Clico – the region’s biggest casualty of the global financial crisis.
2010 September – PM David Thompson confirmed to have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.