Pakoa Kaltonga

Pakoa Kaltonga, also known as Bakoa Kaltongga, is a ni-Vanuatu politician. He is a member of the Vanua'aku Pati.^[1]

He was elected Member of Parliament for the Rural Efate constituency^[2] in the September 2008 general election, and was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs in Prime Minister Edward Natapei's government.^[3]

In June 2009, the election of all four Members for Rural Efate, Kaltonga included, was invalidated by the Supreme Court due to irregularities.^[4][5][6] Kaltonga consequently lost his position as Minister for Foreign Affairs,^[7] and was replaced by Joe Natuman.^[8] A by-election on 6 August saw Mr Kaltongga win back his seat,^[9] and he subsequently regained a place in Cabinet, as Minister of Justice and Women’s Affairs.^[10] He lost his place in government when Edward Natapei was ousted by a vote of no confidence on 2 December 2010.^[11][12]

On 24 April 2011, new Prime Minister Sato Kilman was himself ousted in a vote of no confidence, and Serge Vohor succeeded him. Vohor appointed Kaltonga Minister for Finance in his Cabinet.^[13] Three weeks later, however, Vohor's election and premiership were voided by the Court of Appeal, and Kaltonga lost his position in government.^[14] On 16 June, Kilman's election and premiership were themselves voided by the Supreme Court, on constitutional grounds, and previous Prime Minister Edward Natapei became caretaker Prime Minister until a new leader could be elected. Kaltonga was restored as caretaker Minister of Justice.^[15]

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