Simon Kaloa Kaʻai was a politician who served many political posts in the Kingdom of Hawaii. He served multiple terms as a legislator from the island of Hawaii, Minister of Finance from 1878 to 1880 and from 1882 to 1883 and Minister of the Interior in 1882.

The Minister of Finance was a powerful office in the Kingdom of Hawaii, the Provisional Government of Hawaii and the Republic of Hawaii from 1842 to 1900. It made up one of the four offices of the monarchical or presidential cabinet which advised the Head of State of Hawaii on executive affairs. During the monarchy, ministers were also ex-officio members of the Privy Council and the House of Nobles in the legislature. During the republic, ministers were ex-officio members of both houses of the legislature. The head of state had the power to appoint the ministers but later Hawaiian constitutions limited the power the head of state had in removing the cabinet ministers by requiring a vote of no confidence from a majority of the elective members of the legislature. All acts of the head of state had to be countersigned by a minister.