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UWI third-year med students stage 'I Fi I' play for charity

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Chad Bryan, Youthlink Writer

In an effort to raise crucial funds for charity, the third-year medical students at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus, will once again host their annual Smoker production dubbed I Fi I.

The play, which has been written and produced by students, is building on a 50-year tradition of seeking to address the needs of various groups in society in dire need of assistance. This year the medical students, through intense research, have identified the gastrointestinal department at the University of the West Indies as beneficiaries of the funds procured to purchase one refurbished Olympus endoscope and colonoscope.

According to Candi Whittick, Smoker Planning Committee chairperson, "Essentially, the play is set with a young man returning from oversees, who was living in the United Kingdom, and he comes back to live in Jamaica to make a difference in his community." She added, "As it turns out, the alliances which he had when he was younger are now adversarial and he has now returned to corruption and crime."

She also stressed the importance of purchasing these devices. "The GI unit caters to about 60 people, who are in need of this service. Some of the other hospitals send people to UWI and the scopes are really expensive; approximately US$40,000 each," she explained.

I Fi I will run from September 13-16 (Thursday through Sunday, with Saturday being gala night) at the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts.
"On Thursday and Friday, the show will start at 6:30 p.m. There will be two shows on Saturday. The gala show will be on Saturday, starting at 4 p.m., where we will serve hors d'oeuvres and cocktails and have pre-entertainment. A second show will be at 8 p.m. and then we will conclude on Sunday with two shows - one at 4:30 p.m. and the other at 8 p.m. The tickets for each show will be $1,500, except for the gala, which will be $2,500," said Whittick.

Tickets for the show are available at Xtras, Mall Plaza and Deli Works, Sovereign Centre.

Sponsors of the show include platinum and title sponsor Jamaica National Building Society; silver sponsor Salmon and Associates and Scotiabank; and bronze sponsors Catherine's Peak, Supreme Ventures, Win Traders, L. Howard Facey, attorneys-at-law, and the Jamaica Producers Group.

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