Caribbean leaders and pop star Rihanna joined in a sombre farewell for Barbados' late prime minister David Thompson, who died of pancreatic cancer 11 days ago.

Hundreds of Barbadians on Wednesday lined the streets to have a glimpse of the casket draped in the Barbados flag drawn on a military carriage.

Thompson, who was just 48, was succeeded by Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart, who led mourners in this small Caribbean island nation of 280,000 famous for its rum, spectacular beaches and local flying fish.

CARICOM Chairman and Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding, lamented the loss of Thomson, who died October 23, and that "someone with so much promise should have been taken away from us so soon."

"The entire Caribbean has been left poorer," Golding said of Thompson, who entered Parliament at the age of 25 and "brought to the regional integration movement a sharp and refreshing look at Caribbean issues" while also being a "realist and a pragmatist."

"He was passionately a Caribbean man, all of us Caribbean leaders will miss his wise counsel," Golding said during the near two and a half hour ecumenical service held at the famed Kensington Oval outside Bridgetown.

Thompson held office since January 2008. He was the sixth prime minister of the country which declared its independence from Britain in 1966.

His personal doctor announced in mid-September that Thompson had cancer of the pancreas, the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation said. He is survived by his mother, father, wife and three children.

In addition to Grammy-winning, Barbados-born recording sensation Rihanna, Jamaican reggae star Luciano also was on hand for the service.