I’m just swamped right now with school-work. In particular, I have a rough draft on a long research paper due on Monday, and there is a lot to be done between now and then. The topic? Looking at microfinance institutions as coordinators of private orderings, and what this means for commercialization.

There’s a lot I have had a lot of thoughts about but just no time to write. Rumi bhai’s two posts  scrutinizing the recent ambassadorial appointments were ones where I want to say a lot on. The posts are both timely and thought provoking, even though I don’t agree with where he comes out on them. I think Rumi bhai is right to question the reasoning behind the individual appointments. But I  don’t think I agree with his reasoning behind the questioning. A small window into my thinking on this matter: There are key tensions in administrative law (a class which I am struggling with right now) between accountability, transparency and expertise. It’s not clear to me a priori that there is no place for political appointments in the bureaucratic positions.  I have a lot more to say on this, but I don’t have the time to really draw out my thoughts. I hope some one willl remind me of this in late December.

BTW, check out this blog on the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. There is a lot of activity going on in this area right now. The Siemens case is of some note. I am pretty sure some of the investigations for that litigation extend all the way to Bangladesh.