MONTHLY REPORT--KEY WEST BUREAU--SEPTEMBER 1988

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91-01355R000400070004-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 25, 2013
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: October 1, 1988
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/06/25: CIA-RDP91-01355R000400070004-5
ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET /43
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Monthly Report -- Key West Bureau
FROM: EXTENSION
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Chief, Operations Group
DATE
September 1988 ,STAT
TO: (Officer designation, room number, and
building)
DATE
OFFICER'S
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom
RECEIVED
FORWARDED
INITIALS
to whom. Draw a line across column after each Comment.)
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Exec. Reg.
FORM 610 USE PREVIOUS
7.79 EDITIONS ?
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/06/25: CIA-RDP91-01355R000400070004-5
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FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE
KEY WEST BUREAU
MAIN P.O. BOX 1056
KEY WEST, FLORIDA 33041-1056 '
FBI S-4062-88
1 October 1988
NAVAL AIR STATION
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, Foreign Broadcast Information Service
THROUGH:
SUBJECT:
I. GENERAL
Chief, Operations Group
Monthly Report--Key West Bureau?September 1988
STAT
OFFICE: (305) 296-)444
[phone]
[phone]
TELEX: 803046
1. We received word from the American Embassy in Santo Domingo
regarding our request to start an operation there similar to the one
we have in Port-au-Prince. Though the embassy was unable to
accommodate a contract monitor, it gave us the go ahead to set up an
unattended remote site instead. The bureau chief was working out the
details during his trip to headquarters for the Bureau Chiefs
Conference.
2. Hurricane Gilbert missed Key West though it did produce plenty
of wind and rain. It also gave us a chance to use the storm shutters
in our houses for the first time. The shutters were quickly and
easily put into place thanks to. our intrepid bureau chief who did not
mind hanging out of second-story windows to secure them. Special
hooks are in the planning stage.
II. OPERATIONS
A. Monitorial/Editorial
1. Rumors circulating in Port-au-Prince even before the St Jean
Bosco Church "massacre" on 11 September, became a reality a week
later when a group of enlisted men and NCO's ousted Lt Gen Henri
Namphy and appointed the former head of the Presidential Guard, Lt
Gen Prosper Avril, in his place. The Wire first alerted the deputy
chief at home in the evening of the 17th. We in turn informed our
contractor in Port-au-Prince, who confirmed from her
home that she could hear shooting in the area of the Presidential
Palace. Though we were unable to get through to her a second time
that evening, we nevertheless opened the bureau for a special shift
the next day, Sunday, hoping to be able to establish contact. Thanks
to the American Embassy, which provided safe transportation, Maria
was all set up to go in mid-morning, when she processed the coup
proclamation from recordings she had made at home in the early
STAT.' ning hours.
Our efforts -- both and the bureau's -- and our continuing
reportage were formally and informally acknowledged by various
consumers.
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STAT
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2. While events in Haiti gave us our day in the sun, the bearded
one did not fade gently into the background. On the first of
September, Fidel treated graduating doctors to an .88-minute pep talk
focusing on one of his pet projects, the family doctor program.
Later in the month he had a chance to discuss one of his passions
when he met with the Cuban team that had just won the world baseball
championship. Alas, these might have been Castro's only light moments
in September. On the 12th, the British Government expelled the Cuban
ambassador and the third secretary after the latter shot it out with
a Cuban defector in the streets of London. On the 15th, a UN Human
Rights Commission delegation began its fact-finding mission.
September also brought a new minister of agriculture and a new head
for Juceplan, Cuba's planning board, as well as a 3-day joint meeting
of the PCC Politburo and Secretariat that signaled further economic
austerity. Finally, Fidel let his feelings show at the end of the
month when in a speech to 173 athletes whom he was awarding the
"Sports Honor Medal" he chided "socialist countries" for competing in
the Seoul Olympics.
?
3. Our simultaneous monitoring of the coup proclamation over Haitian
radio and television resulted in new sourcelines for our Haitian
coverage. The exchange with MOD in turn led to a reformulation of
long-standing policy for Havana simulcasts. What used to be Havana
Domestic Service is now Havana Domestic Radio and Television
Services. ?
B. Technical/Cruising
1. While arrangements for our remote site in Santo Domingo were
underway, both our cruiser and our monitor/editors expended
considerable time and effort during the latter part of the month in
monitoring. the early morning casts of Dominican radios, primarily to
try to cover the activities of deposed Haitian President Henri Namphy
in Santo Domingo where he went after the coup. Despite generally
poor overall reception, we were able to wirefile several items from
these casts.
2. Bureau lost daytime reception of Radio Jamaica (RJR) when
Hurricane Gilbert passed over the island on 12 September. Reception
of Jamaica's other radio network, JBC, is also poor.
3. Our cruiser began seasonal monitoring of Moscow's fall broadcast
schedules during the last week of the month, with initial focus on
relays of those international services by Cuba-based shortwave and
-medium-wave transmitters.
Declassified in in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/06/25: CIA-RDP91-01355R000400070004-5
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III. ADMINISTRATION
A. Personnel
A prospective candidate for a monitor/editor position from Puerto
Rico was unable to come to Key West for further testing. She has
been rescheduled for October.
In the meantime, three enlisted men stationed at the Key West Naval
Station at various times rang our bell or phoned describing
themselves as Spanish linguists interested in a.job with FBIS. All
three were given the written Spanish test. Unfortunately, the
Spanish proficiency of one was not high enough; another, a native
Spanish speaker, did not possess a sufficiently strong command of
English. We are awaiting to hear from the third, also a native
speaker.
, B. Building and grounds
Three diseased palm trees that might have toppled over during strong
winds and damaged a nearby antenna wire and a storage shed were cut
down. We still have one remaining palm tree which should bear enough.
coconuts to enable us to prepare "coquito" come Christmas.
A beach cleanup was also conducted in the housing area.
IV. VISITS
To the Bureau:
Lt Col Ladewig, CO, 6947th Electronic 'Security Squadron in Key
West, 8 September
From the Bureau:
Bureau chief, FBIS HOS, 17 September-2 October
V. COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
The bureau chief attended a retirement ceremony for Col Wayne
Topp, deputy commander of U.S. Forces Caribbean, on 9 q60tember.
Acting
cc: C/Panama Bureau, C/Paraguay Bureau
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/06/25: CIA-RDP91-01355R000400070004-5