Friends, family say goodbye to Norman Solomon;

The widow of former statesman Norman Solomon, Katherine, (left) looks on while being comforted by a family friend as the body of her late husband is lifted into a hearse. Scores of prominent government officials, business owners, friends and family members paid their last respects yesterday to a man hailed as one who 'loved his Bahamas'.

Statesman, writer, businessman and civic activist Norman Soloman was laid to rest yesterday, during an official funeral service held at Christ Church Cathedral. His body was taken from the House of Assembly, where it laid in state last week for public viewing. Among those in attendance were Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, Opposition Leader Perry Christie, ministers of the government and official opposition members, Dame Marguerite Pindling, Frank Comito of the Bahamas Hotel Association, and J. Barrie Farrington, senior VP of Administration with Kerzner International (Bahamas) Ltd.