Ex-HSBC chairman David Eldon says pro-democracy protesters should 'move on'

Former HSBC chairman David Eldon wrote in his blog on Wednesday that it is time for pro-democracy protesters to “move on” from the current impasse.

In a blog entitled “Hopes for the Future”, Eldon said Hong Kong needs to find a resolution so the community can move on and focus on providing a solid base for economic growth.

He said it appeared participants in the Occupy movement had clear instructions and ideas about what to do in its early stages, but now little advice was available on the question of “what next?”

“And this is where we are at the present,” he said.

He said student protesters could generate goodwill by “moving on” from their current position.

“I honestly have no doubt about the students abilities, nor about their sincerity, but you know – the amount of goodwill they would generate immediately by saying ‘we’ve made our point forcefully, but it’s now time to move on’ would be really significant,” he said.

For example, if the students have concerns about their future – such as the job market when they leave school, housing costs or other social service provisions – they could add these into their agenda in dialogue with the government.