Winds are largely superfluous in an island-ful of windbags

What are we skinning? The very welcome - or not - gust of winds that promise to characterise our temporal situation this weekend. 

Why are we skinning it? Because the wind has proven to be a trusty ally for our islands over the past couple of weeks of intense heatwaves that stand as an undeniable reminder of the existence of climate change. 

Seems like a bit of a 'slight' topic given that we still appear to be right at the cusp of a fresh political crisis. I'd argue the opposite. 

On what counts? On all of them, really. 

Do enumerate. I shall. 1) Applicable to both Malta's political situation and climate change... I actually believe the precipice has long been in our rear-view mirror, and that we find ourselves to be very much in the thick of it; 2) The wind can never be a 'slight' topic as its reach is strongly metaphorical as well as undeniably meteorological. 

Are you gonna talk about the winds of change now? There you go, politically loaded, in Malta too... or perhaps especially. 

Do you honestly think that the wind could be the main catalyst for a change in our political landscape? The thing is, climate change also means that what was previously mere background - weather patterns as a way to make small talk and, indeed, provide useful metaphors for abstract strands of human existence - has now gained tangible currency. 

So, you're saying the wind could push the Labour Party's rating back where it used to be? I mean, potentially. The Maltese were never too politically litigious - unless it’s on tribal party-political concerns - and the recent bout of concentrated dissatisfaction could also be down to having to endure heatwaves and power cuts and the like. 

But while the heatwaves are force majeure - on the micro-national level and the short-term, at least - power cuts are certainly a tangible political matter. Yes, they are. But again, the wind sweeps away everything, pulling us back to the default state of national insomnia that has held the country's status quo together since Independence. 

The looming issue of the Air Malta chairman's substantial pay packet, and the Finance Minister's apparent caginess about its nature, will strike at the quick, though. Yes, the Maltese are rather sensitive on issues that impact their pockets, though the whole "funded by taxpayers’ money" thing doesn't quite resonate as far as it should, most of the time. 

Do you think flights will be affected? They may be. We can only hope the fresh winds will be strong enough to sweep our planes away independently of actual pilots and/or adequate working and remuneration conditions. 

Do say: "We all deserve to bask in a fresh wind in the middle of a scalding summer, but that doesn't mean the country's woes are to be forgotten during a particularly delicate political moment."

Don't say: "Winds are largely superfluous in an island-ful of windbags."