White Pete Turning Black Power Into Profit

For the first time since whenever, I will not be at Amsterdam Roots Festival at Oosterpark. As happens in so many cities all across Europe, these park festivals are a way to enjoy the Summer in the cities left behind by residents and swarming with tourists. Those left behind or coming from afar band together in the parks, and enjoy themselves. All festivals have one thing in common: they are free of charge.

Good luck trying to get into Oosterpark without paying admission fee this year. They have changed a public park festival into a money-making machine. City council spends tax money on the festival and have us pay admission fee. They want us to pay pay pay for

Now Where Did I Leave My Kwakoe?

In 2011 the Dutch government refused to give a license for the yearly Kwakoe (Kwaku) festival in Amsterdam, and for the first time in its history there would be no festival for the Surinam community to enjoy. The government claimed that it could only allow for a budget of 100,000 Euro when a total of about 200,000 Euro was needed.

The government did not want to invest, even though it would see a return in its investment in the form of jobs, licenses, public transport and parking, and of course taxes.