Electrician causing static in S/Grande

He’s a popular electrician in Coalmine, Sangre Grande, who is sought after by many from ordinary folk to business people, doctors and lawyers. But it seems that electrician Vishnu Singh is known for more than his electrical work. Guests and callers to the Crimewatch show alleged that they paid Singh to do electrical work but it never got done and they never got back their money.

Sherry Khan, of Coalmine, Sangre Grande, alleged she paid Singh $5,500 to install a security camera at the front of her home in September last year. She told Crimewatch host Ian Alleyne that Singh came to her home, looked at her panel box and told her he needed to change the panel box. He also told her she would have to re-wire her home, since “the electrical work was done badly and could cause her home to burn down.”

Singh would return some days later, when Khan said he broke a wall in her home to start the work. But Khan said that was the last she saw of him. She claims she kept calling him to finish the work, but this proved futile. He allegedly told her he was “sick” and then she alleged he started threatening her and her family. Khan said because of Singh she and her family had “one of the worst Christmases ever” last year.

Khan told Ian she and her family reported the threats made by Singh to the police. She produced documents to show that the report was actually made. But she claimed Singh continues to threaten them. Michael Williams, of Shivan Drive, Sangre Grande, also told Ian that he paid Singh $3,700 for electrical work at his home, but it was never done. Both Khan and Williams told Ian all they want is their money back. But Singh, who agreed to appear on the Crimewatch show this week, told Ian that the allegations against him were untrue.

He was joined on set by Khan and Williams who provided Ian with receipts which he signed for the monies he received from them. But Singh insisted he never signed the receipts and the signature was not his. Ian then asked him to see both his driving permit and ID card. The signatures on both official documents bore a striking similarity to the signatures on the receipts. But Singh held fast to his position, telling Ian, “Let us go to court to prove that is my signature.”

Singh claimed that there is another contractor with the same name who is responsible. But the studio lines soon lit up with callers recounting similar stories to that of Khan and Williams. Dr Ocono, of Sangre Grande, called in to the show telling Ian that he paid Singh to install a security camera in his office last year. According to Ocono, Singh took the money and never showed up to do the work.

Another “victim”, Krishna Maharaj, told Alleyne Singh owed him $3,000 for lighting fixtures which he took. Singh has not paid the money to date. When asked about this, Singh admitted that he took the fixtures. Another caller, Gabriel Garcia, told Alleyne he paid Singh $16,000 over two years ago. He said he had contracted Singh to rewire his home. The money was paid over time, since according to him Singh kept saying he needed money to buy material for the work. However, nothing was ever done.

Singh admitted that he knew the callers and that he had promised to do work for them. Asked why he did not do the work which he was contracted to do, he did not respond and simply shrugged his shoulders. But he could give no undertaking as to when the outstanding monies owed to the clients would be paid.

Already, some of those clients who paid Singh have filed official complaints with the police. Our last check showed that Singh had gone to Tobago and none of his clients had been paid. Alleyne described the situation involving Singh as “sad”. He said Singh has “made it bad for hard working electricians.” His warning to the public was simply  be careful of the people you hire to do work, you work hard for your money, check who you are giving it to.”