Timakata, Fred (1936– )

Vanuatuan centre-left politician, president 1989–94. He served as deputy prime minister and home affairs minister under Walter Lini, who was prime minister 1980–91, before becoming speaker of the parliament 1985–88. His alleged bias towards the dominant, Anglophone, centre-left Vanua'aku Pati (VP) resulted in the Francophone opposition Union of Moderate Parties (UMP) briefly boycotting parliament in 1986. After being appointed health minister in December 1988, Timakata became president in January 1989 after a constitutional crisis, which was caused by the arrest of President George Sokomanu, who had attempted unconstitutionally to oust Prime Minister Lini.