MONTHLY REPORT -- PANAMA BUREAU -- DECEMBER 1982

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00385R000200110001-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 8, 2007
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: January 6, 1982
• Content Type: MEMO

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FO~IGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE
PANAMA BUREAU
DRAWER 927
APO MIAMI 34004
6 January 1982
MPA #0001
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, FBIS
THROUGH Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT Monthly Report -- Panama Bureau -- December 1981
Advertisements in two local newspapers for a 3-day period have
drawn over 50 responses from interested monitor candid
with more letters bein received daily. Chief Monitor STAT
and Deputy Chief are carefully reviewing al app ications STAT
Appointments for es ing e most promising candidates will be set
up in the next couple of weeks.
A. Monitorial/Editorial
1. The month opened with the entire bureau being involved
in 24-hour coverage of the hijacking of three Venezuelan airliners,
ultimately to Cuba, by persons unlmown whose motives are still baf-
fling. The 3-day odyssey found us covering first Venezuela, then
Honduras and Guatemala, Panama and lastly Cuba. The remote circuits
again proved their usefulness, with live reports from local airports
being broadcast by radios in Tegucigalpa and Guatemala City.
2. The clandestine Radio Venceremos returned to the air and
to coverage late in the month after being forced to close for about
3 weeks by a government campaign in Morazan Deparment.
3. Meanwhile, reception of the clandestine Radio 15 September,
aimed at Nicaragua, continued to improve as did the radio's scheduling
and news content, presumably as its network of informants expands. Put
back on coverage early in the month when reception. improved, it has
carried significant items on the anti-Sandinist opposition and events
in eastern Nicaragua.
ST,q
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5. Following a quick tri to Te c' al a by the Bureau Chief
and Bureau Chief Technician to complete instalSTAT
lation of remote monitoring equipment in the American Embassy there, the
bureau was able to terminate its contract with the Embassy spouse who
was serving as contract monitor providing phone feeds of recorded radio
and television programming. Another, more flexible contract with a Spa-
nish-speaking ICA employee -- similar to those we have in Nicaragua.
and E1 Salvador -- is in the works. The new arrangment should provide
not only radio and TV programming, but some press scrutiny as well.
6. The Bureau Chief, accompanied by Chief Monitor ST T
paid a visit to the REUTER/LATIN Panama representative on 1 Dece er
to ~~register an offical complaint regarding the deteriorating service
on the LATIN circuit experienced by the Paraguay Bureau since September.
Panama. represents both bureaus in the contract with REUTER/LATIN. The
LATIN representative, Mr Julio Zamora, promised to look into the situa-
tion. The bureau has also sent a letter of complaint to the REUTER/LATIN
head office in Mexico City.
B. Communications
The bureau's Autovon line, 287-4001, was finally returned to
service during the month after having been out since early November.
The line still suffers from considerable noise, however. Efforts are
continuing to return it to fully operational condition.
C. Technical
gineer visite t e bureau from 3 to 8 December. The visit p~~~1f
to be most useful, with a number of topics discussed in depth, including
problems with the new Delta multicouplers, upcoming installation of Mode I
communications at the bureau, the bureau's antiquated air conditioning sys-
tem, ;the status of the projected satellite monitoring terminal, expansion
of the remote monitoring network, proposed: interior renovations to the bu-
reau operations building, the ramifications of the planned Panama Pacific
Coast Highway and a forthcoming transequatorial propagation experiment in
which the bureau has been asked to assist.
A. Personnel
1. Editor departed Panama 23 December after suo~t~a~T
ful completion of her 12-week training TDY.
Chief FEB/ED, and newly appointed regional ~~iAT
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2. Personnel receivin PSIs during the mont laded ST T
to NM lU/4; to NM 9/6; and t~TAT
3. Monitor Supervisor
out Pay 22 December.
B. Buildings and Grounds
began 30 days Leave Wit1~~AT
1. Contractor Issac Cattan Gonzalez completed the first mowing
of the bureau antenna field.
2. Separate breaks in the bureau's water and power lines were
repaired by Defense Facilities Engineers during the month, The power
line break required operation on the bureau's emergency generator for al-
most 24 hours.
C. Other
A new contract to provide transportation services for the bu-
reau for FY82 was signed during the month.
1 bureau: Chief, FEB/ED d Regional ESTAT
gineer 3-8 December for orientation an tec ical discussionsSTAT
Mr Leonar ngs, Executive Vice President of Household Data Services,
7 December for discussion on transequatorial propagation experiment.
2. From the bureau: Bureau Chief and Chief Technician to Teguci-
galpa, Honduras, 1-3 December. Bureau Chief to Panama Canal Commission
8 December for technical briefing. Bureau Chief and Chief Monitor to
REUTER/LATIN representative 16 December.
3. The annual Christmas party, planned and sponsored by the Bu-
reau Social Activities Committee from funds collected from various ac-
tivities during the year, was held at the A1taVista Room of the Panama
Hilton Hotel on 19 December. As expected, it was a smashing success.
Even the bureau chief enjoyed his monthly salsa lesson.
4. Teletypist made his annual Christmas visitSTAT
to a nearby orphanage on ecem er accompanied by a number of bureau
employees to distribute toys and other goodies to the children. Each
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year "Ceasar" selects an orphanage in the area and bureau employees "adopt"
one or more children for whom they provide a gift. Candy, soda, ice cream
and other treats are also contributed and a good time is had by all.
STA
Chief, Panama Bureau, FBIS
Attachments:
Monthly Production Report
Operations Attachment
Engineering Attachment