“Would Rajapaksas stay silent for 13 years?” — Minister Nalinda on SupremeSAT issue

August 9, 2025 at 1:45 PM

Minister of Health and Media Nalinda Jayatissa has responded to questions regarding the recent controversy surrounding the SupremeSAT satellite, commonly referred to as “Chichi’s Rocket.”

The issue came to light during a parliamentary session where, in response to a question raised by MP D. V. Chanaka, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya revealed income generated from the SupremeSAT satellite. However, Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe denied this claim, stating that the Board of Investment (BOI) had provided inaccurate information and asserting that “Chichi’s Rocket” is still missing.

In response, SupremeSAT issued a statement reaffirming that its satellite remains in orbit at 87.5° East and that no government funds were used for the project.

Addressing the controversy, Minister Jayatissa questioned, “Do you think that if a satellite generated such high income, the Rajapaksas would have stayed silent for the past 13 years?”

He added, “Do you think the Rajapaksas would do something benefiting the country without also benefiting themselves?”

“Investigations are ongoing. We can discuss what happened once they conclude, and then determine the truth, which will be revealed soon,” he continued.

He also said this project should not be viewed in isolation but assessed alongside other activities involving the Rajapaksas to determine where it is positioned. (NewsWire)