Nasheed apologises for ‘no jobs for pepper spray’ comments

The speaker of parliament stirred controversy by criticising demands for jobs as a reward for facing pepper spray at opposition protests during the previous administration.

“It is needful for people who were pepper sprayed to have some kind of opportunities. But again I find it very shameful talk to say, ‘I did this and that but there’s nothing for me today.’ We don’t want him to remain with nothing,” Nasheed said at the closing ceremony of the MDP’s youth congress on Saturday.

“But it’s up to him to find something, to come out for something. We can’t take the Maldives to full employment by giving everyone government jobs. That can’t be done.”