Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama [left] and NFP leader Professor Biman Prasad [right]. [File Photo]

The Prime Minister has set the record straight on the bipartisan approach as he believes the Opposition MPs never have had or do have any meaningful contribution.

Voreqe Bainimarama also revealing that he once did invite the NFP leader Professor Biman Prasad to help with the budget, however, Prasad rejected the invitation.

The Prime Minister has reiterated that the efforts of the opposition are a little too late as he believes it’s totally arrogant for them to be late at the nationwide Talanoa.

That day I invited honourable Biman Prasad to come and help with the budget but he did not want to come in. Maybe by that time he was not in a party maybe he was thinking about joining a party then now when he is in a party he wants all this bipartisan approach.

NFP Leader Professor Biman Prasad taking offence at the statement by the PM, stating his reasons for not taking up the PM’s offer.

Any Prime Minister who comes out here and has come out the barrel of the gun to say that we are not prepared to help. Now that he is the elected Prime Minister we have offered help.

The NFP leader further claimed that the three NFP members and the Opposition leader wrote a letter to the Prime Minister to offer their help before the COVID-19 response budget however the PM rejected it.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister also questioned Opposition Leader Sitiveni Rabuka as to why none of their members showed up at the budget consultation.

Where was the honourable member during the consultations of the national budget?. We know exactly where he was, he was locked up in various hotels around Suva fighting with his fellow party members for power.

Bainimarama adds that a bi-partisan approach needs to come from the heart.

He adds the opposition has lost their opportunity to contribute to the budget by not being present at the consultations.