Barbados’ Prime Minister dies at 48

The Barbados government has announced the death of Prime Minister David Thompson at the age of 48.

It says Thompson died early Saturday. It was announced last month that he was being treated for pancreatic cancer.

Thompson, who has been prime minister of Barbados since January 2008, first became ill in March and took a leave of absence from his post in July. Deputy Prime Minister Freundel Stuart has been running the government in Thompson’s absence.