Dear Editor,

In 2014, I remember reading few articles written by previous SLEN Editors when we celebrated the creation of SLEN. Almost all of them said one thing in unison - SLEN will be as good as its content and features such as its color, medium, etc. would be secondary. I couldn't agree more then and now.

We certainly need to upgrade the general content of SLEN. While SLEN has gone digital and comes monthly to our email in box with reasonable assurance, it has become boring!! ( IESL still prints paper SLEN to a few who request and it comes out every two months) Except in the second half of 2013 when I initiated digital SLEN with yours and then President Tilak De Silva's support, in 2014 articles became predictable - Presidents Corner, Editorial, one or two reprinted articles, IESL news / announcements / events that are already stale since they are on the web, etc. Even the ICT Corner I started in 2013, died its natural death after I left due to lack of leadership an initiatives (now back in the Council, I have revived the ICT Corner for the session 2014-15).

But it's not about individual heroics, we must have a sustainable process of getting meaningful, current, exciting content to SLEN.

The responsibility of improving this situation lies equally with the members and the Editorial Board/IESL Publicity Department Leadership

I as an IESL member and behind the scene promoter, supporter, and contributor to Digital SLEN, have the following suggestions to improve the situation.

(A) I suggest we take a more "society focused" approach to get more input from our contributing members. This way, we make SLEN more "social and general reading for all citizens". We as engineers with gifted skills and leadership abilities must write our thoughts and findings without fear. We must become agents of change for Sri Lanka, our profession, future generation. The contributions could be segmented as follows:

I suggest our Editor to send a mass email every month and repeatedly campaign to get input. Such campaigns must be requested from Chairs of sectional, chapter, and district committees. They must send at least TWO per month. I do not see any such campaigns at all. Although I created with our Editors backing the digital SLEN and SLEN Blog, etc., without relentless campaigning among ALL MEMBERS and not just among our friends, we will not be able to sustain these types of initiatives.

The KPI for the EDITORIAL BOARD is to get articles for the above mentioned ections through relentless campaigns. Language can be any and must be stated in campaigns.

I am happy to announce that at my request, President and ICT Chairman have allocated Rs. 150,000 for three months (January - March 2015) to do some pilot multi media articles straight from the field ( just like we did in 2013). I will go as the director/ interviewer with a crew of two to video film from locations that I will select with support from well wishers to create meaningful, current material that will enhance the image and the value of digital SLEN. Allotted amount is bare minimum for travel, accommodation, food and equipment. Our trips will be 2-3 days hoping to generate 2-3 multimedia articles. I am volunteering to do this for few months to show case possibilities. I strongly believe a budget of 1-2 million rupees per year will give us great content that is of national importance. That is our goa! Please join the team with your contributions to make the change we want ...be the change!

We can do wonders with a news paper, even a revolution can be launched if we play our cards right and the focus is on the right revolution. I think the revolution is to make IESL relevant again in the society.

I appeal to 15000+ membership (including Student Members) to support our Editor as he has good intentions and is a long standing progressive member of the IESL Council. The reason why he is the Editor for three years running!

Regards,

Arjuna Manamperi
Council Member / Chairman - Mechanical Engineering Sectional Committee