‘Free information boosts business’

It assumes greater significance in Indian context, where several states compete with each other to attract investment, says Thomas M Susman, an expert on freedom of information, who is in the city to share his experiences and “sensitize” the concerned officials in ensuring a better flow of information. Speaking to The Indian Express, the US national said: “Business does not flourish in a corrupt region. Freedom of information reduces corruption and helps in attracting capital. Money will flow to any area receptive to it and transparency is indispensable to accommodate the investment climate.”

Speaking about the Right to Information Act in India, Susman said that the legislation is crucial because it enables the public interest override the interest of government officials.

Citing instance of the health department of the USA, Susman, the principle draftsman of the US Freedom of Information Act, Amendments (1974) said that the implementation of RTI Act in India requires resources and awareness about the act and the best way is to put all the information online. The more information you make available on the net, the lesser number of RTI requests will be there, he added.

Susman has advocated freedom of information in countries like China and Peru. The Chinese government has implemented freedom of information for two main reasons— to facilitate international trade and as an anti-corruption measure, said the co-author of the book titled ‘Business Uses of the Freedom of Information’.

Sharing experiences, of the US, Susman said that in the US there are two sets of rules relating to the freedom of information — one for the federal government and the other for the state. The laws for different states are different in US, but in India the laws are same for all states.