Nassau - The Bahamas Islands have begun mourning Sir Lynden Pindling, the former Bahamas prime minister who led the island nation to majority rule and independence.
Mr Pindling (70) died on Saturday from prostate cancer. He led the black Progressive Liberal Party to victory in 1967, introducing majority rule into Bahamian politics for the first time.
He went on to rule for 25 years, leading the Bahamas to full independence from Britain in 1973. However his reputation was tarnished during the 1980s when his administration was accused of drug-related corruption.