Deputy Speaker, hon Ministers and members, we have come to the end of our parliamentary term of office. As we are all busy with election campaigns, the time ahead will not be one of rest, but of work; work to bring about a new Parliament with fresh faces and fresh ideas. We have all worked hard over the past five years to make Parliament a place in which robust democracy thrives. We have also responded as best we can to representing our people with integrity and honest labour. We now go back to our people to ask them for their votes.
The FD, a member of the CDA, Christian Democratic Alliance, wishes all our colleagues in this House every success in the efforts to win votes and return to this august Place to continue in building a winning society. We have made good friends over the past years; we have worked well with one another; we have also fought hard on matters where we differed; but we also did so in the spirit of democracy and in respect of our institutions of government.
We leave here today to go our separate ways. We pray for the peace of God over all of us as we work to bring about a society that will benefit all of our people. We express a special word of thanks to you, Madam Speaker and Madam Deputy Speaker, for a wonderful farewell dinner as well as the photo of the last Joint Sitting of the third Parliament.
A special word of thanks also goes to all the committee chairs, the Chief Whips and all staff members of Parliament, for their contribution to making the third Parliament a great success. A special word of thanks goes to Rhoda Southgate and Kevin Thompson, our researchers, for work well done.
We do not know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future. May God go with you throughout these elections; God bless you. I thank you. [Applause.]