Chichi’s rocket and Harini

PRIME Minister Harini Amarasuriya’s response in Parliament to SLPP MP D.V. Chanaka’s question over the controversial SupremeSAT project — which launched a communication satellite in November 2012 — and subsequent statements by Trade and Commerce Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe caused uproar and once again called into question the credibility of Government leaders’ official remarks.

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During the contentious reply, the premier mentioned that no public funds were invested in the controversial venture. Also, she informed the legislature that SupremeSAT mission, according to the information provided by the BOI, earned Rs. 343.9 billion over a period of seven and a half years from 2016 to June 2023

Before assuming power, the NPP politicians used to ridicule the rocket that was sent into the airspace, for which Rohitha Rajapaksa (whose nickname is Chichi) — the youngest son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa — was said to have played a pivotal role. However, although people are referring to a rocket, it needs to be clarified that the object which is under scrutiny is the communication satellite named SupremeSAT-1, which was deployed by SupremeSAT Ltd. in partnership with China Great Wall Industry Corporation. The former president’s son was the Technical Director of the initiative.