Terence On a typical staff trip only the minister takes first class. Even the deputy sec only takes business class.

The "top performing civil servants from other sectors eg the SAF, are also now being recruited mid-career into the admin service" are the SAFOS scholars. This is not even news. It's a longstanding fact since the 1970s. After retirement go civil service as perm sec or minister. They are given AO interview right after they come back from their overseas studies at 23 and can get into the AO at any point in time until retirement.