An Australian Baha’i who has lived in the Solomon Islands since 1968 has been awarded a knighthood for his outstanding service to business and to public and community development in that country.
Bruce Saunders, 70, the managing director of the BJS group of companies, will receive his KBE (Knight Commander of the British Empire) from Queen Elizabeth II at a ceremony in Buckingham Palace on a date yet to be announced.
He will be accompanied by his wife, Lady Keithie Saunders, who was honoured in 2010 for her environmental beautification of the capital, Honiara.
The award of a knighthood required the unanimous consent of the Prime Minister, Parliamentary Speaker, and all cabinet ministers of the Solomon Islands.
Sir Bruce said he was humbled by the honour.
“I accept it as an acknowledgement of the contribution of all who have served and continue to serve the people of the Solomon Islands,” he said.
“Keithie and I have endeavoured to follow in the footsteps of her late parents, Alvin and Gertrude Blum, who arrived in the Solomons in 1954, introduced the Baha’i teachings and made service to their fellow men and women the cornerstone of their lives.”
Sir Bruce served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the Solomon Islands for 20 years, and for 10 years was a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Australasia, a senior Baha’i advisory board that guides Baha’i communities in 17 countries.
National unity
A recipient of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003, Sir Bruce has recently been in the forefront of a project to erect a monument honouring Solomon Island wartime heroes, an initiative widely seen as contributing to unity in the country by reinforcing pride in national identity among schoolchildren and other citizens.
The “Pride of Our Nation” monument, created by local sculptor Frank Haikiu, was unveiled last year on the 69th anniversary of the US Marines’ landing in Guadalcanal during World War 2.
“There had been monuments to the Allies and the Japanese but none to the Solomon Islanders, whose exploits were fundamental to the survival and victory of the US Marines and Allied soldiers during the battle for Guadalcanal, which was the turning point of the war in the South Pacific,” Sir Bruce said.
Civil society
Sir Bruce was prominent in establishing a civil society network in the Solomons in 2000 during the years of unrest following a coup, which had led to the disintegration of public institutions.
The civil society initiative led to the empowerment of Solomon Island men and women to participate in the restoration of peace and order to the country.
His BJS group of companies has long been a major employer in the Solomons and provides a range of services including insurance, real estate, handicrafts, recruitment, recycling and events management.
Sir Bruce’s management and organisational expertise were called upon on two separate occasions when he was appointed to interim city councils for the capital, Honiara, after the existing councils were disbanded.
He has been vice-chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, a foundation member of the Lions club, and a board member of the Rotary Club of Honiara.
Youth
Active in promoting education in personal virtues via radio programs and the school curriculum, Sir Bruce has also arranged for the Rotary four-way test to be introduced into schools to provide guidance for personal behaviour.
He recently accepted an appointment as one of the two trustees for a recently registered NGO, the Blue Light Association, a youth club run by the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force.
Sir Bruce is also involved in the 20/20 club, a monthly forum where young, emerging Solomon Islands leaders discuss issues affecting their country’s future.
He continues to participate fully in the activities of the Baha’i community.