Cabinet Spokesperson Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding the “SupremeSAT” satellite—widely dubbed “Chichi’s Rocket” on social media—during today’s (12) weekly Cabinet media briefing. He provided detailed clarifications on the satellite’s status, the company’s financial records, and dismissed allegations of internal government conflicts.
He was responding to a query of a journalist.
Dr. Jayatissa explained that the Prime Minister’s recent parliamentary statement, which asserted that SupremeSAT caused no loss to the government and even generated revenue, was based on information from the Board of Investment (BOI).
However, this was contradicted within 24 hours by Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe, who claimed the government had suffered a loss, while another minister suggested the Prime Minister’s remarks reflected her personal view.
Despite these contradictions, the BOI reaffirmed the accuracy of their original data. Dr. Jayatissa acknowledged that minor errors—such as typos or misinterpretations—might have affected the information given to the Prime Minister but stressed that she clearly attributed the information to the BOI.
Dr. Jayatissa elaborated on the role of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN agency responsible for satellite filings, which can take three to seven years. Sri Lanka currently holds two geostationary orbital slots at 121.5 and 50 degrees longitude. However, ITU records show no satellite registered under Sri Lanka’s name in these slots, nor any satellite named “SupremeSAT” or “ChinaSat 12” (a name reportedly adopted by SupremeSAT). The information is publicly accessible for verification
He clarified that SupremeSAT’s satellite was a private investment without state funding and that Sri Lanka’s allocated satellite slots were not utilised for this project.
SupremeSAT signed an agreement with the BOI on 23 May 2012. Their auditors valued satellite-related assets at approximately Rs. 12 billion in the 2013-14 financial year but these assets were removed from reports by 2014-15. The company’s financial statements submitted to the BOI show no income from satellite operations, only revenue from other services. In 2016, SupremeSAT informed the BOI they had removed the “SupremeSAT 1” satellite assets following an agreement with China Great Wall Industry Corporation
Responding to rumours of a rift within the ruling coalition, Dr. Jayatissa dismissed claims of an NPP-JVP conflict as “daydreams.” He reaffirmed that the Cabinet stands united with no plans to replace the Prime Minister and urged the public to avoid spreading falsehoods, emphasising the government’s focus on economic recovery and political reforms.
Dr. Jayatissa called on Rohitha Rajapaksa—described as the “man behind the scenes” who purportedly holds key details about the satellite—to come forward and clarify the profits, assets, and whereabouts of SupremeSAT. He questioned why Mr. Rajapaksa had remained silent for 13 years on this issue
Dr. Jayatissa confirmed that investigations into the matter are underway from multiple agencies. He assured that the government remains committed to encouraging investment and is actively addressing any reporting errors from companies or the BOI to Parliament. He welcomed the public discussion for shedding light on facts that had remained unclear for years.
