Gov. John deJongh Jr. on Monday nominated Violet Anne Golden to a second term on the Virgin Islands Casino Control Commission as chairwoman of the three-member panel.
Golden, a former member of the V.I. Senate, was first appointed to the commission for a five-year term in April 2009. She was elected vice chairwoman at the 2013 and 2014 annual meetings of the commission and has served as acting chairwoman since January 2013.
“Senator Golden has demonstrated a willingness to serve in this important capacity and has shown leadership in advancing Internet gaming on the world stage," deJongh said in a statement issued by Government House. "It was her persistence in pursuing legal advice and my administration’s belief that, if implemented properly, the Virgin Islands can be a gaming leader in this region and can compete nationally.”
DeJongh said the contacts Golden has established and the respect garnered from her peers in the gaming industry makes this decision an important one.
“Sen. Golden has the strong leadership skills to bring stability and continuity to the commission at this important juncture during a period of great transition for our economy. I look forward to working collaboratively with her and her colleagues in the coming months to ensure that our land and future Internet-based casino operations receive the attention they deserve,” the governor said.
Within two months of being elected vice chairwoman in 2012, Golden submitted a request to the attorney general on the legality of Internet gaming in the Virgin Islands. The pursuit of this issue, and the 2011 "wire act" clarification by the U.S. Department of Justice, placed the Virgin Islands in a leadership role in the Internet gaming front nationally and internationally, according to the governor.
“The prospects of developing long-term interstate partnerships that enhance our economic and interstate gaming position in the United States and in the global community make this appointment critical at this time," deJongh said. "I am pleased to make this important nomination and look forward to the hard work ahead.”
Golden is a 10th-generation Crucian who graduated with honors from St. Joseph High School in 1977. She graduated from Jacksonville University with a bachelor of arts degree in business administration in 1981, and earned a master’s degree in general administration from the University of Maryland while working in the V.I. Federal Programs office in Washington, D.C.
Upon her return to the territory Golden taught mathematics and computer literacy at Arthur A. Richards Junior High School in Frederiksted, was a member of the St. Croix Federation of Teachers, was appointed chairwoman of the COPE Committee of the American Federation of Teachers, served on the V.I. Civil Rights Commission and was awarded the 1996 Morris F. De Castro Fellowship for her contributions as an outstanding teacher.
In 1998 she was elected to the 23rd Legislature of the Virgins Islands, where she was chairwoman of the Rules Committee and a member of the Legislature’s Health, Education, Economic Development, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, and Finance Committees.
In 2009 deJongh nominated her to serve on the Virgin Islands Casino Control Commission. She was confirmed unanimously by the Legislature for a five-year term.