Pakoa Kaltonga

The Honourable
Bakoa Kaltongga
MP
Hon. Bakoa Kaltongga during his tenure as Minister for Foreign Affairs (left) pictured with Diplomatic Trade Commissioner Colin Evans (right)

Pakoa Maraki Kaltonga, also known as Bakoa Kaltongga (born 6 April 1969[1]), is a ni-Vanuatu politician. He is a member of the Leaders Party of Vanuatu.[2]

He was elected Member of Parliament for the Rural Efate constituency[3] in the September 2008 general election, and was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs in Prime Minister Edward Natapei's government.[4]

In June 2009, the election of all four Members for Rural Efate, Kaltonga included, was invalidated by the Supreme Court due to irregularities.[3][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 of 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]

  1. ^ "Hon. Bakoa Maraki Kaltonga".
  2. ^ "231 ELIGIBLE CANDIDATES",Daily Post Vanuatu, 4 March 2020
  3. ^ a b "OUSTED VANUATU MP LAMBASTES ELECTORAL OFFICE". Archived 8 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Vanuatu Daily Post, 16 June 2009
  4. ^ "New Vanuatu PM names his cabinet line-up", Radio New Zealand International, 22 September 2008
  5. ^ "Le gouvernement échappe à une motion de censure". Archived 28 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Les Nouvelles de Tahiti, 18 June 2009
  6. ^ "Vanuatu politicians lose positions: report". Archived 7 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Australia News Network, 16 June 2009
  7. ^ "PM Natapei buckles in MPs with new MOA". Archived 17 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Vanuatu Daily Post, 16 June 2009
  8. ^ "Natapei makes further reshuffle". Archived 17 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Vanuatu Daily Post, 22 June 2009
  9. ^ "Efate goes to by-election 6 August". Archived 17 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Vanuatu Daily Post, 22 June 2009
  10. ^ Composition of Cabinet. Archived 12 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine, on the website of the Parliament of Vanuatu (January 2010)
  11. ^ "Vanuatu's Natapei ousted in no confidence challenge". Radio New Zealand International. 2 December 2010. Retrieved 2 December 2010.
  12. ^ Cabinet of Vanuatu, CIA, 20 December 2010
  13. ^ "New look Vanuatu government sworn in". Radio New Zealand International. 25 April 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  14. ^ "Vanuatu Court decision results in change of government", ABC Radio Australia, 13 May 2011
  15. ^ "Vanuatu interim leader appoints cabinet ministers ahead of prime ministerial vote Thursday". Radio New Zealand International. 20 June 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2011.